It was a great day to be punting on the short end of the market in Devonport on Sunday with the average starting price of the eight winners being just $2.48 and six favourites saluting.
The quadrella paid a meagre $24.30 on the local TAB and the longest priced winner of the day was Fiveandfurther at $4.40.
We saw several horses continue their impressive synthetic form and the main beneficiaries were trainers Leanne Gaffney who had a treble and Bill Ryan with two winners from as many runners.
Riding honours were shared by Brendon McCoull and Bulent Muhcu who each had doubles.
The winners
1009m
Race 8 (Class 1) – Red Letter Lady 1:00.19
1150m
Race 5 (BM60) – Barbie’s Witness 1:08.86
Race 2 (Maiden) – Needs to Belong 1:08.95
Barbie’s Witness (Brandon Louis) wins in Devonport.
Race 1 (Maiden) – Take the Sit 1:09.54
1350m
Race 6 (BM74) – Cabarrus 1:21.15
Race 7 (0-64) – Up WInd 1:22.05
1650m
Race 4 (Maiden) – Banca Syd 1:42.87
Race 3 (BM60) – Fiveandfurther 1:44.49
Race summaries
Race 1: After racing very green first-up, Take the Sit ($1.45F) was on her best behaviour with the blinkers on to score a decisive victory. Brendon McCoull pushed forward to race outside the leader and the race was essentially over when he found that position. The 4YO mare still did a bit wrong late but accelerated well to put the race away. Gold Current ($5 out to $7) bombed the start so his effort to run into second was good and he can at least win a maiden down here off this performance. Sweetsop ($11) raced without cover but boxed on for third.
Needs to Belong (Siggy Carr) wins a maiden in Devonport.
Race 2: Needs to Belong ($2 into $1.60) was well found by punters but was made to work hard for his victory. The 4YO gelding was given every chance by Siggy Carr from midfield but first starter Turk Delight ($5 out to $10) gave a solid kick from a forward position and proved hard to run down. The leader Sparkling One ($20) ran the field along at a much stronger tempo than the first maiden resulting in the overall time being about 3.5 lengths quicker despite a much slower final 600m. Lightly raced pair Skilendra ($9 out to $15) and Black Magic Woman ($6 out to $10) both ran on well from back in the field in a maiden that could prove to have good depth.
Race 3: Bulent Muhcu gave Fiveandfurther ($4.40) a gun ride to land the prize in a slowly run affair. The winner ran the second fastest last 400m and fastest last 200m of the entire program which is a great effort at the end of 1650m but shows how slowly this race was run given the overall time was around 10 lengths behind the following race which was maiden grade. The winner trailed the run of Moss ‘N’ Bolt ($4.40) who hit the front turning for home but was left a sitting shot late as a result. The quinella put over two lengths on Elisvaet ($2.70F) who lacked dash when the race became a sprint and the leader Irish Shotgun ($7) who may not have been suited dropping in distance.
Fiveandfurther (Bulent Muhcu) wins a BM60 over 1650m.
Race 4: Banca Syd ($3.70) broke his maiden status at start number 11 and was dominant in doing so. David Pires was aggressive early landing in a forward position behind the leader Revolution Queen ($17) who set a good pace in front. From there Pires didn’t go around a horse, hugging the inside rail and having a three-length margin on the line. Backmarkers found it hard to get into the race with the field well strung out. French Heiress ($11) settled on-pace for second while Captain Morgan ($3.40) came from well back to grab third ahead of Rosehaven ($9.50) who raced wide without cover.
Race 5: Barbie’s Witness ($2.60F) unleashed her powerful finish to record a soft victory with apprentice Brandon Louis in the saddle. It was a nice ride from Louis who was always going to get back from an inside draw but was easily able to work to the outside in the home straight. The 6YO mare had the fastest last 400m and 600m of the day and has now won three of four since arriving in the state. It was an apprentice jockey trifecta with Thomas Doyle leading Goodness Gracie ($10) into second in a nice first-up return and Windrider ($21) ran home hard into third for Kyle Maskiell. The well-backed Winky Dink ($5.50 into $4) boxed on solidly up the rail but none of the field was any match for the winner.
Race 6: Cabarrus ($2.70F) continued his love affair with the Devonport 1350m making it a hat-trick of wins all at the track and distance. Bulent Muhcu gave him a good run through from the inside draw, but he had to dig deep to put the race away late. The 5YO has progressed through the grades nicely and this may not be his last win this campaign. Gee Gees Cricket ($13) won a benchmark 60 last week so he was racing out of his grade but was a big effort after covering ground early and stablemate Gee Gee Wynett ($13) put in his best run this preparation to finish third. Connections would have been encouraged with the returns of Banstead ($8) and Dothraki Princess ($9) who each hit the line well to finish just behind the placings.
Up Wind (Ismail Toker) wins a BM60 in Devonport.
Race 7: Leanne Gaffney made it three wins from as many legs of the quadrella when Up Wind ($2.15F) won for the second straight start. Ismail Toker box seated from gate one and when the gap presented at the top of the straight, the size of the winning margin was the only query. Leanne Gaffney is now up to a 56% winning strike rate from 16 starters this season. Her horses are being very well placed and enjoying a good run with barrier draws which is as important at Devonport as any other track. Invincible Rock ($3.30) and Is Don is Good ($21) sat first and second in the run and given their respective starting prices it was a great effort for the latter to finish ahead of that pair, and he can be another good earner for Ken & Tanya Hanson in the same way that Moss ‘N’ Bolt has since racing in Tasmania.
Race 8: A day for favourites was completed in the last race when the shortest one of the lot, Red Letter Lady ($1.30F), scored for the prolific Bill Ryan/Brendon McCoull combination. The scratching’s of Bandinelli and Michbar left this race at the mercy of the favourite, but Loki Patera ($10) gave plenty of cheek in front and made her work for it. The win continued a super start to the new season for Bill Ryan who has six winners from just 10 runners.
FORMPLUS Black Bookers
Turk Delight – The market didn’t like him but that was the case for basically the whole field with a stream of money for the winner. Great debut chasing a good pace and showed fight when headed late.
Banstead – Nice return. The synthetic track holds no fears and if a suitable mile race can be found he will be tough to beat.
Watch the replay of Needs to Belong beating a brave Turk Delight in race two.