Tasracing

Devonport Cup winner Newhart claimed the scalp of champion Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey in winning the $100,000 weight-for-age The Mills Thomas Lyons Stakes in Hobart on Sunday.

Mystic Journey was sent around the $1.18 favourite, but it was the Leanne Gaffney-trained Newhart ($11) that delivered a career-best effort to take out the feature race over 1400m.

Jockey Craig Newitt had Newhart settled third in the small field of seven while Luke Currie had Mystic Journey on the fence and three pairs back.

Blaze Forth ($17) assumed control at the halfway mark and rider Kyle Maskiell tried to pinch a break turning for home.

But when Newitt called on his charge for the big effort he quickly hauled in the leader and sprinted clear, while Mystic Journey was trying to make inroads on the margin, but it was all to no avail.

Gaffney described Newhart, or Fluffy, as he is affectionately known around the stables, as one of the most likeable horses she has ever trained.

“I just love everything there could be to like about this horse. He is just one of a kind,” Gaffney said.

“When he won first-up in Launceston over 1400m I knew then that he was in for a good season and he had continued to perform well at the top level.

“Today he came up against our champion mare Mystic Journey and to come away with a win is absolutely amazing.

“I want to thank Denise Martin from Star Thoroughbreds for giving me the opportunity to train the Star horses over the past 18 months and hopefully we have more wins to come.”

Kevin Sharkie Bow Mistress

While the team was winding down from the celebrations after the Thomas Lyons, cheers tuned to tears when the team’s talented mare Deroche put in a shocker in the Group 3 $150,000 Kevin Sharkie Bow Mistress Stakes over 1200m to finish near last when sent around the $1.35 favourite.

The race was taken out in great style by the Lloyd Kennewell-trained Ethical Solution ($10) that tracked Deroche throughout and when that mare capitulated, Ethical Solution (Shamus Award-Miss Ethics) pounced on the lead and strolled home for an impressive win.

Ethical Solution defeated the only other interstate invader in the race, Street Icon ($4.20) with Runaway Girl ($31) the first Tasmanian home.

Rider Joe Bowditch said Ethical Solution had performed as expected.

“This mare is no star but put in the right races she is going to be very competitive in whatever she tackles,” Bowditch said.

The lure now is for the mare to return to the state for the Vamos Stakes on Launceston Cup day, another $150,000 Group 3 weight-for-age race for fillies and mares.

Trainer Gaffney was at a loss to explain Deroche’s failure, but the mare was sent to Armidale Stud after the race and she was being booked in for scans on Monday morning.

“There must be something wrong because that is not the Deroche we all know and love,” Gaffney said.

Watch Newhart score an impressive win in the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons over 1400m on Sunday.