In Brief
- Quartet of winners for Gaffney on Sunday.
- Julius and Cabarrus make it two in succession.
- Barbie's Witness comes from the clouds in the last.
Spreyton-based Leanne Gaffney is arguably the most in-form trainer in the state at present and on Sunday in Devonport her excellent run continued.
Since racing resumed in Tasmania following the COVID-19 shutdown, Gaffney has had 26 starters for an amazing 13 winners.
On Sunday, Gaffney took six horses to her home track, leaving with four wins and a second placing.
“The horses are good. Racing at Spreyton helps, we’re racing on our home track and I’ve got a team of workers that are really clicking,” said Leanne Gaffney when talking about the current run her stable is enjoying.
The first of Gaffney’s winners came in the Ladbrokes Maiden (1150m) where Freelancer ($3.40) went to the front early with Ismail Toker in the saddle, eventually running away to an easy win by more than three lengths with first starter Needs to Belong ($8) working into second place.
“Freelancer got a bump at his first start, which not having any experience sort of frightened him a bit I think.
“He’ll be coming back and we will look at the three-year-old cup,” explained the trainer on the gelding who was a drifter in betting on Sunday after being heavily backed on debut.
On a program that saw several impressive winners, arguably the one that stood out the most was Julius ($2.80F) who made it two wins from as many career starts, making light work of a strong Class 1 field.
Julius (Ismail Toker) makes it back-to-back wins in Devonport on 9 August.
Ismail Toker sat outside the leader Rhyme Writer ($16) and obviously knew he had plenty of horse underneath him, having a good look around at the top of the straight before booting clear for a three-length win despite being eased down late.
“Julius is heading toward the four-year-old race there in Hobart in October,” said Gaffney on the gelding who races in the Star Thoroughbred colours, as does Cabarrus who won a benchmark 66 over 1350m two races later.
“He’s not an easy horse to catch, he’s a very dominant personality.
“I think Bulent (Muhcu) really suits him so hopefully we can keep him on, and we can progress, I think he will probably get 1600m,” said Gaffney on the five-year-old gelding who won for the second consecutive start.
The last of Gaffney’s quartet of winners came in the final race when Barbie’s Witness ($15) came from a long way off the pace to storm past the field with apprentice Brandon Louis having the ride.
The six-year-old mare had no luck at a key stage in the straight the start prior, which Gaffney said gave her some confidence entering Sunday’s race.
“Brendon (McCoull) came back and said if she hadn’t of been checked she would’ve gone very close.
“She absolutely flew on Sunday; we were really pleased with her.
“She wasn’t an easy horse, but she’s well and truly paid her way.”
Watch the replay of Julius winning race seven in Devonport.