Tasracing

The Track

After significant rain during the week, the track was rated as a heavy 8 on Friday but that had improved to a soft 6 come Saturday evening. Unlike Ladbrokes Launceston Cup Day where the inside was favoured on a track with the same rating, this raced as a more traditional rain affected surface where runners raced towards the outside as the meeting wore on, and the majority of winners came down the middle of the track or beyond in the home straight.

The Winners

1200m

Race 6 (Open Hcp) – Silzoar 1.11.65

Race 7 (BM 66 Hcp) – Sanction King 1.12.13

Race 1 (Maiden) – Lady Joker 1.12.37

1400m

Race 2 (Maiden) – Gee Gee Flash Too 1.25.65

Race 4 (Class 1 Hcp) – White Cliffs 1.25.78

Race 5 (0-60) – Foreeva 1.25.92

1600m

Race 8 (BM 84 Hcp) – Sh’Bourne Star 1.41.03

2400m

Race 3 (BM 66 Hcp) – Our Declaration 2.35.27

Race Summaries

Race 1: Lady Joker ($4.60) found a great spot in fourth from a wide draw and was a soft winner running down the middle of the track to provide a guide as to the pattern of the night. The well backed Gee Gee Royboy ($4.20F) led and seemingly had a reasonable time of it but stuck to the inside in what would later turn out to be the worst going and ran fourth. Smashing Hit ($51.00) rattled home with the second fastest last 400m and 200m of the entire program in what was clearly a career best run, and the performance of a horse that will be a significantly shorter price next start.

Race 2: The ride won the race as Stan Tsaikos went for home early aboard Gee Gee Flash Too ($4.00) and stole a winning break. He was racing outside Margarita Talking ($7.00) in-running but took off before the home turn, leaving that horse behind who could only manage a closing second when the race was over. That pair put a space on Readily Rewarded ($5.00) who along with the second horse were both well supported late.

Gee Gee Flash Too (Stan Tsaikos) wins a maiden in Launceston.

Race 3: Our Declaration ($2.70F) wore down Nero Veloce ($9.50) in what became a two-horse race late in the piece. As tends to be the case in these benchmark staying races, the placegetters were dominated by those in the front half and the decision to ride Gee Gee Caughtya ($16.00) and Rodessa ($11.00) much closer to the speed than in recent times contributed to them finishing out the placings. The win might be enough to push Our Declaration out of this grade, while Nero Veloce will win one soon if they continue to race forward.

Race 4: For the second straight start White Cliffs ($2.50) was smashed in betting and did the job with ease. He was a speed horse at his three runs prior to a break, but he seems to have matured with the let-up and is finishing his races much better despite maintaining the tactical speed from the gates. He had this race in his keeping a long way from home when the main danger Chase on the Case ($3.10) settled in the back half of the field and the market seemingly knew what may transpire after Chase on the Case was an odds on chance when markets opened. Sh’Bourne Rebel ($14.00) returned to something like his best form running home for second albeit 2.5 lengths from the winner.

Race 5: Foreeva ($12.00) enjoyed the conditions she loves so much with the sting out of the ground and was too good late for Born Magic ($3.30) who was a significant late firmer in betting. David Pires led as he pleased on Born Magic but Foreeva had that horse’s back in the run and had the drop late. A further two lengths away was Mulley’s Idol ($6.50) with the jury out on where most of these will find their next win.

Race 6: On the three-day back-up Silzoar ($14.00) drastically reversed his form to win for Ianish Luximon and top off a great week for the apprentice. In a strange race Debseraa ($3.20) was well backed but tailed off to finish fourth, having only Aspirate ($3.70) behind him who never ever looked likely and was last throughout. Amaword ($3.10F) was red figures when markets opened but nearly defied that drift and having gate one was the main reason he was a narrow loser in a race where it will be hard to trust the form.

Race 7: Sanction King ($4.40) caught the eye charging home first-up and went right on with that performance with a great ride from Anthony Darmanin who cut the corner on the home turn but worked to the best going in the straight. His last 400m was the seventh fastest of the meeting to hold off GeeGees Brightstar ($7.00) who deserves a win soon and easing favourite Silkstone ($3.00F) who was carved up on speed and unsuited rolling back to the inside in the straight.

Race 8: They crawled in front to finish the night enabling Sh’Bourne Star ($6.00) to race three-wide and still record the fastest last 600m, 400m and 200m of the program. She loves the Launceston mile and had the bias against her on Cup Day. Appraise ($1.65F) looked to be travelling as they approached the home turn but struggled at the end of 1600m and finished unplaced in the field of five after Kathonious was declared a late scratching due to being denied a fair start.

Watch the replay of White Cliffs winning impressively for the second straight start.