Tasracing

Sh’bourne Midnight continues to impress with another good win in the 1420m Class 1 in Launceston on Wednesday night, coming from back in the field to score in style after a clever ride from Anthony Darmanin.

Sh’Bourne Midnight ($7 – $4) was in an awkward spot back worse than midfield approaching the home turn, but ‘Darma’ found some gaps, and the 5YO raced clear.

“He’s getting better and better; we had to give him a little rest after his run in Hobart; he felt that,” trainer Shaun Nicholls said.

“I really like this horse; he’s such a professional, tonight I had to ride for luck and hoped that the runs appeared; once we hit the front, he waited for them, so there’s definitely an upside for this horse,” Darmanin added.

Nicholls is unsure where Sh’Bourne Midnight, who has won two of his five starts, will have his next run.

April’s Dance (A.Darmanin) wins a 0-62 in Launceston on 15 January.

Darmanin made it a race-to-race double when April’s Dance came home powerfully to win impressively in the 1420m 0-62 Hcp, downing the well-tried Agnete ($3.70) and Gee Gees Me Boy ($6.50).

Although April’s Dance ($3.40)  settled a little further back than expected, she seemed to like the tempo set by Sistine.

“I thought we would be first two in the running, but we began not the greatest, but we travelled so well, there was good speed in the race. I like her last 50m, she just cantered up to them and won with authority,” Darmanin said.

April’s Dance is trained by Rhonda Hall; it was her 14th start but first in Launceston and judging by how she performed, she may well be back.

Miles too good

Trainer Patrick Dargan is unsure where to go with his promising stayer Miles ‘N’ Miles ($6 – $2.60) after he made it two wins in a row in the space of five days and landed some good bets in doing so.

The 4YO took 17 starts to break his maiden but after doing so last Friday night, he backed up on Wednesday night with an even better win, scoring by 4 1/2 lengths after travelling like a winner for the whole of the 2150m.

“He seemed to relax and travelled going past the mile, and from the 800m, there didn’t look like there was going to be much to beat him,” Dargan said.

“I haven’t even looked past tonight; I know there is a BM66 2100m coming up shortly; we will take a look at his sectionals and go from there.

“If he goes up a grade, he will get a bit of weight relief too; I reckon he will get further too; I don’t think 2100m is his limit.”

Apprentice Chloe Wells has had two rides for two wins aboard Miles ‘N’ Miles.

First Launnie win for Alpine Affair

Alpine Affair proved his win at Longford on New Year’s Day was no fluke by making it two in a row and giving sire Alpine Eagle four winners for the night when he won the 1620m BM76 Hcp.

Suited by the small field, Alpine Affair ($3.20) made it 10 career wins, but his first in Launceston. He settled third on the fence behind the leader and didn’t go around a horse to score by a little more than a length from Rising Light ($2.80), with Alpine Blast ($4.60) third,

“I guess he stayed on the rail and saved every inch of ground, and he finally won a race at Mowbray,” trainer John Blacker said.

“I don’t know why he hasn’t won here before; if the race had been in Hobart or Devonport, he would have been a $1.50 chance in the same field.”