Tasracing

John “Bulldog” Nicholson has an excellent strike rate when he brings horses to the Apple Isle, and that continued at Ladbrokes Park in Hobart on Saturday night when Micton Mouse scored in the Group 3 Carlton Draught Tasmanian Derby.

With John’s son Rhys, in the sulky the gelded son was able to lead easily from his pole draw in the 2579 metre event where they were able to enjoy a soft run during the early stages.

The lead time of 77.5s was slower than the Tasmanian Oaks and the Tasmania Cup which was a standing start race before the gelding ran quarters of 32.7s, 30.6s, 29.6s and 29.4s.

The mile rate of 2m 4.7s was the equal slowest of the race since it moved to Elwick from the Royal Showgrounds.

“I think people did their form and realised he was the early leader and that he loves a bit of distance, he had beat the second favourite twice they have met, so there was no need for us to kill each other,” said Rhys after the win on TasracingTV’s live stream coverage.

Micton Mouse scored by 1.1 metres over Dyslexic with Soho Senna 8-metres away third.

The race favourite Beat City finished fourth.

It was the second win in the race for Rhys and John who teamed up to win the race in 2013 with Ginger Bliss.

“This class of horse to who I won it on last time is a big shock, Ginger Bliss was a group raider, we came over with the idea of running top four in the derby but to win it for owners is really good,” said the winning driver.

Micton Mouse is a gelded son of local sire Stonebridge Regal and is out of Masie Mouse. The gelding was bred at Westbury by Michael and Toni Laugher.

The win of Micton Mouse was part of a rare feat, and it was the first time since 1987 since Tasbred pacers have won the Tasmania Cup, Tasmanian Oaks and Tasmanian Derby in the same year.

The last Tasbred pacer to win the Tasmanian Derby was Ryley Major in 2016.

Connections indicated after the race that the $50,000 Group 2 Globe Derby in Launceston in June is on the radar for the pacer.

Tasmania’s most successful driver of all time Ricky Duggan added the states premier mares race, the Tasmanian Trotting Club George Johnson to his resume when Shesa Tricky Bridge scored a dominant win in the $20,000 event.

Trained by Ricky’s brother Adrian, Shesa Tricky Bridge was only having her second start in the state after being claimed from a race at Warragul last month by Tasmanian owner Geoff Bailey.

“It was a race we had targeted and gee it’s good when it comes off like that.” Said trainer Adrian Duggan after the win who picked the horse out for one of his loyal clients.

“She is a good standing start mare and full credit to Geoffrey (Bailey), the day prior we spent $20,000 at the yearling stales, but he didn’t hesitate and backed my judgement,” explained Adrian.

Driver Ricky Duggan made a lightning move down the back straight but was slightly concerned in the early stages of the 2579 metre race.

“They was going to walk early, and I was happy when a few took off, but after that, I was pretty confident cause I was just sitting waiting to go,” said the winning driver.

Shesa Tricky Bridge, who is by Stonebridge Regal, scored by 13.2 metres over El Jays Mystery and Lockaway Kacie.