PROMISING three-year-old pacer Hugo Play could help realise a long-time ambition of his owner-breeder Bill Fawdry if he can hold his form for another fortnight.
Hugo Play showed his worth in a heat of the Globe Derby Stakes in Launceston last Sunday night to give Fawdry added confidence about winning the $30,000 final, a race he has wanted to win ever since its inception 25 years ago.
“I had my good horse Another Shy in the very first Globe Derby final but he ran second to Prince Nijo so I’ve been trying to win the race ever since,” Fawdry said.
Hugo Play is trained by Kate McLeod at Bridport, a property owned by Fawdry.
McLeod also drove the three-year-old gelding to victory. She had him settled near the rear but sent him around the field to assume the lead about 1500 metres from home and it proved to be a winning move.
Young Dylan Ford handed up on race leader Punt Road Disco but that horse enjoyed a very cushy run in the race from thereon in and he wasn’t punished in the home straight so he will go into the final as fresh as a daisy.
Partybox Glenwood faced the breeze for the last lap but stuck on gamely while Cesta La Vie was held up three-back the fence and rattled home late to just miss the minor prize.
The second heat was taken out by the Christian Salter-trained Aninchofhislife that had been promising to win a decent race for some time and finally delivered the goods.
Aninchofhislife was buried three-back the fence and looked to have nowhere to go in the home straight but driver Christian Salter opted to dart his charge back to the fence when a gap closed to get up behind the leaders and then shouldered his way out to get a crack at the front runners.
Once balanced the gelded son of Red River Hanover stormed home to defeat Bettorbedoug and Tony Macarony.