The track
The first three races were run on a soft 5 but the track was upgraded to a good 4 for the last five. It proved an impossible night to make ground out wide and all eight winners settled on the inside rail in the run. Saving ground on the inside and cutting the corner turning for home was the factor in most winning rides, and any horses making ground from back and wide will be worth monitoring next start.
The winners
1100m
Race 7 (Class 1) – Border Protection 1.05.70
1200m
Race 8 (Benchmark 66) – Lebombo Rose 1.11.14
Race 1 (Maiden) – We Need A Star 1.12.10
1400m
Race 6 (Benchmark 84) – The Master Speed 1.24.06
Race 2 (Maiden) – Comiskey Park 1.25.29
Race 3 (Benchmark 66) – Louise 1.25.65
1600m
Race 5 (Benchmark 60) – Reann’s Diamond 1.35.78
2100m
Race 4 (Maiden/Class 1) – A Tad More 2.12.71
Race summaries
Race 1: Despite reasonable form, We Need A Star ($8.50) was overlooked in the first of the night but finished strongly for a deserved victory. Anthony Darmanin settled worse than midfield but found the inside rail which would prove a hotspot for the majority of winners through the night. As the leaders tired, the 4YO ran down the middle of the track with the fastest last 400m of the race to hold off Banca Star ($4.00) who created a gap for the winner to come through on the home turn by shifting wide to find a run. She looks like a maiden win won’t be too far away. Louisville ($3.70) was well supported and had an ideal run but found the quinella too good, while favourite Catch Me Paddy ($3.00) was a firmer through the day but a big drifter late and faded out of the placings after getting a bit of pressure in front.
Comiskey Park (Siggy Carr) after winning 1400-metre maiden in Launceston on 1 April.
Race 2: Comiskey Park ($5.50) looked the map horse in a race lacking speed and was well found accordingly to win the second. Siggy Carr went to the lead early but was content to hand up to the outsider For the Reward ($101.00) when that horse pulled his way to the lead. Skipping clear on the home turn it was a soft victory for the 4YO gelding, giving trainer Rowan Hamer the first two winners of the night. The only horse to make any late ground was the favourite Supalopo ($2.30F) who was alone in making any real impact from towards the back of the field.
Race 3: In a four-horse race it was the favourite Louise ($2.10F) who was too strong late bringing up an early double for Anthony Darmanin. As is often the case in small fields, the tempo set by the leader Cabarrus ($4.80) was very slow, evident by the overall time being a couple of lengths slower than the maiden win in the previous race. Off the slow tempo, Louise was chasing hard early but when she knuckled down to the task her last 400m was the fifth fastest of the night with Cabarrus sticking on for second despite being a noticeable late betting drifter. Ladbrokes best tote/SP punters were rewarded with a staggering $4.20 on the winner with the small field throwing up some rogue tote dividends.
Race 4: For the second consecutive start Rhode Away ($1.35F) burnt punters at a long odds on price, this time it was A Tad More ($6.50) causing the boilover. Perhaps looking to avoid the fate he faced last start on the favourite, David Pires kicked up early from the inside draw to lead but the horse again refused to settle and Pires suggested post-race that the blinkers may need to come off. Trailing the leader throughout, A Tad More was too strong in the run to the line with a big margin back to British ($13.00) in third. This was a very thin maiden/class 1 reflective in the price of the favourite and the winner will face much stiffer opposition in benchmark company, though his on-pace pattern is favourable to his chances.
Reann’s Diamond (Brandon Louis) wins in Launceston on 1 April.
Race 5: Apprentice rider Brandon Louis brought up his first Tasmanian winner aboard Reann’s Diamond ($4.80) who was smashed in betting late to win the first leg of the quaddie. It was an excellent ride from Louis who from barrier 10 landed behind the leader and hugged the inside rail turning for home for a comfortable victory. Now an 8YO and with Wednesday being her 89th start, Reann’s Diamond continues to defy her age. Mag Wheels ($2.50F) settled well back which was no big surprise given her previous run was over 2400m and her last 600m was the fastest of the race to get into a clear second at her first run for new trainer Michael Trinder.
Race 6: Scarlet So made it race to race wins for apprentice riders when she partnered The Master Speed ($7.00) to his ninth career win. Letting the speed unfold early, So waited a few hundred metres to work to the front on the noted leader and was given enough peace in front to have a good kick in the home straight when Balearic ($4.00) challenged. The 7YO has shown on multiple occasions now that he is a force to be reckoned with returing to benchmark level from open grade. Balearic had to round the field against the pattern for the night, and Craig Newitt may have thought his main rival was behind as he had a good look to see where the favourite Rough Road ($2.45F) was a few times, but the winner was eventually as strong as him on the line.
Lebombo Rose (Troy Baker) wins the last race in Launceston on 1 April.
Race 7: Border Protection ($3.20) capped a successful night for Adam Trinder and Anthony Darmanin recording an overdue victory. The 4YO gelding’s best runs have tended to be fresh and with over a month since a closing third, he was well backed late and followed the pattern of several previous winners gaining an inside run up the rail. Landing behind the leader on the rail was the difference between the winner and Holy Diamond ($4.40) who settled a pair further back and had to come down the middle in the home straight for second. Loki Patera ($3.40) led the field up and felt the pinch late, while the run of maiden eligible Lucky Roo ($81.00) was noteworthy. He had the fastest last 400m of the program and will be hard to beat back to his own grade if the same horse turns up, which has been an issue in mixing his form in his brief career.
Race 8: Lebombo Rose ($6.00) continued the poor recent run for odds on favourites in Tasmanian gallops upsetting Silkstone ($1.55F) in the last of the night. It was another rails hugging ride, this time from Troy Baker to give the 6YO mare a win at just her second start in the state. Silkstone was solid enough in second and the depth of this race may have been the main factor in choosing the four-day back-up, while the finish of stablemate Caesar’s Quest ($6.00) bodes well for the rest of his campaign.
Watch the replay of The Master Speed winning the Benchmark 84 on Wednesday.