Tasracing

Premier jockey Craig Newitt combined with Spreyton trainer Leanne Gaffney to score a treble at the meeting in Devonport on Sunday.

Gaffney won with three of the team of five she saddled up with three-year-old filly Deroche the most impressive.

Despite it being a small field of only five in the benchmark 74 handicap over 1150 metres, the Needs Further filly could not have been more impressive and clearly made up for what appeared to be a disappointing effort when favourite and fifth first-up in the 3YO Cup four weeks ago.

Deroche ($1.45 fav) showed an early turn of foot to find the lead and after cruising through the first 700 metres she lifted the tempo, and when Newitt hit the go button she burst clear and went on to score by 4-1/2 lengths from Secrets She Has ($19.00) with Ethical Dilemma ($8.50) a close-up third.

“We thought she might have been a little bit underdone first-up in the 3YO Cup and that’s how it panned out, but her work had improved, and she went into this race very fit, as shown by the ease with which she won the race,” Gaffney said.

“She is a very good filly and now that she’s nearing peak fitness, she should be very competitive in whatever she contests going forward.”

Lightly raced three-year-old Upwind could be aimed at the Tasmanian Derby following his narrow but game maiden win over 1650m.

Upwind (Craig Newitt) wins a 1650-metre maiden in Devonport.

Upwind ($1.90 fav) settled worse than midfield off a slow tempo and jockey Craig Newitt had to work overtime to get the gelded son of Needs Further into the race at the 600-metre mark.

The well-backed Red Fiore ($4.40 into $3.70) shrugged off Pira Noona ($8.50) at the top of the straight and forged to the lead but when Newitt called on Upwind for the big effort, he set sail after the leader and eventually wore Red Fiore down to win by a narrow margin.

“That was hard work because he loomed to win easily but the leader fought back really well,” Newitt said.

“He’s done a good job to win because he really had to fight to get the result and that will do him the world of good.”

The gelding’s trainer Leanne Gaffney was delighted with the win and said the horse has always shown signs that he might stay.

“I’m sure that when we get him out to 2100 metres and beyond, we will see him at his best,” Gaffney said.

“He is out of a Weasel Clause mare (Totness) and that’s where he gets his toughness.

“The plan is to get him to the Hobart Guineas over 2100 metres and what he does there will give us a guide as to whether we push on to the Derby.”

California Honey (Siggy Carr) strolls to an effortless maiden win over 1009m in Devonport.

The Tasmanian Derby will be the feature race as part of the first meeting to be held on the new Hobart track on 31 January.

Artuso also was impressive and Gaffney predicts a very bright future for the lightly raced three-year-old that has won two of his five starts.

Siggy Carr rode a double courtesy of an effortless victory by the Aiden Nunn-trained California Honey ($1.65 fav) that settled fourth and cruised to the leaders turning for home and went on to score by almost four lengths from Loki Patera with first-starter Kuroset three lengths astern.

It was an arrogant win and confirmed the filly as a bright prospect going forward.

Carr also guided Mr Tindall ($5.00) to an emphatic win in benchmark 60 handicap over 1350 metres to register the six-year-old gelding’s first win in the state.

Watch Deroche score an easy win in a benchmark 74 handicap over 1150 metres in Devonport on Sunday.