ONE of last season’s better performed three-year-old pacers Riverboat Jasper showed he could be back on track when he resumed from a lengthy spell with a solid win in a C5-C8 over 2200 metres in Launceston o Tuesday.
Riverboat Jasper was struck with a mystery illness after he returned to Tasmania from an interstate campaign in Victoria earlier this year.
The Wayne Campbell-trained four-year-old had not been to the races since late April but delivered a stellar performance to score comfortably from Divas Delight and Melolyn in what was a hot field of C5 or better pacers.
“The horse got crook after returning from Victoria so we had to give him a decent break,” Campbell said.
“We gave him a couple of months off and he has been back in work about 11 weeks.”
“This was a good first-up effort but I haven’ got any fixed plans for him.”
“I’m a bit like a football coach – I’m taking it one game at a time,” he said.
Riverboat Jasper was great last season winning eight and placing four times from 13 starts.
This latest win was his second this season but he also has notched five minor placings from his nine starts.