In Brief
- Newcomer to Tasmania an eye-catcher in Hobart.
- Trainer thinks the synthetic holds no fears.
- 3YO maiden a deep race early in the day.
Every now and then a horse puts up a performance that says, “back me next start.”
Little Hot Missile did just that in Hobart two weeks ago.
Having his first run in Tasmania, Little Hot Missile sat wide after drawing barrier 11, was well back in the field approaching the home turn and then flashed home to finish second, beaten a neck by Hot Wired.
“He’d been here about six weeks and had worked really well, we were confident he would go well first-up, it was a really good run, he went wide and hit the line really well and has improved since the run,” trainer John Luttrell said.
Little Hot Missile had shown little in seven previous starts in Victoria, the best of them being a placing in a maiden at Donald beaten 1.45 lengths. It was a recommendation from former Tasmanian jockey Daryl Horner that led to the purchase of Little Hot Missile.
“Daryl told us this horse would go pretty well in Tasmania, said there was nothing wrong with him, so we bought him at an on-line auction,” Luttrell added.
Little Hot Missile will be having his first run on the Devonport Tapeta surface on Sunday, but the trainer has few concerns.
“They tell me they worked him on one (synthetic track) before he came here and he went really well on it, so I’m pretty confident he will go pretty good on it.”
Little Hot Missile has drawn barrier two which should allow jockey Troy Baker to give the horse the perfect run.
Luttrell is also confident Bulbasaur can go close to winning the opening race, the Jockey Celebration Maiden (1650m) and expects Joe Palooka to be competitive in the 1350m Goodstone Group Maiden after an easy trial win in Hobart recently.
One of the more interesting races on the program is the Ladbrokes 3YO Maiden (1009m).
There’s a number of promising youngsters including Freelancer, Freak On A Lead, Michbar, The Poodle and Reite Den Blitz.
Freelancer was backed as if unbeatable last week before racing greenly and finishing third on debut. Reite Den Blitz resumes having been competitive in some of the good Juvenile races last season.
The recently turned three-year-old filly had a soft trial win in Hobart recently in preparation for Sunday’s race, while The Poodle debuts after an impressive trial win in Devonport on Tuesday.
Fresh form a career best four winners at last week’s meeting, trainer Leanne Gaffney will saddle up just four starters this week, but all have winning hopes; Freelancer, Up Wind, Balearic and Blushed.
Being the first meeting of the new racing season, the traditional blessing of the track and minutes silence will be held during the day.
The first of nine races is scheduled for 11:35 with all races shown on Sky Racing 1 and TasracingTV.
Watch the replay of Little Hot Missile finishing second at his Tasmanian debut.