TALENTED Tasmanian mare Spitfire Rose made it a clean sweep for the locals when she powered home to score a convincing win in the prestigious Relish Catering George Johnson mares classic at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart on Sunday.
Spitfire Rose started at the lucrative price of $12 (fixed) while in-form Victorian mare Tandias Bromac from the Amanda Grieve stable was sent around the $1.50 favourite.
The winner was driven by Gavin Lang who admitted the victory was a bit special because of the circumstances surrounding how he came to drive the mare.
Spitfire Rose is trained by Rohan Hadley who also usually drives her in races but when he became Ill a few weeks ago he called on Lang (his best friend) to make the trip across Bass Strait for the drive.
“Rohan isn’t travelling too well at the minute, health wise, so I came across for the drive and she did a wonderful job,” Lang said.
Spitfire Rose faced the breeze from the outset ahead of Tandias Bromac that landed on her back in the one-one.
But Tandias Bromac’s driver Chris Alford was unhappy with the speed set by El Jays Magic so he took off two laps from home to assume control.
This left Spitfire Rose still facing the breeze but it was short-lived when Whisper Jet obliged by sweeping around them three-wide to occupy the “death”.
Turning for home Tandias Bromac burst clear but when Lang eased his mare three-wide to make her charge she powered home and went on to defeat the favourite by over 10 metres with El jays Magic about three metre away third in advance of Jodila.
Hadley was at the track but not physically well enough to venture down to the presentation area.
“This was a great win by the mare and I’m thankful for Gavin (Lang) for answering the call,” Hadley
“She’s a very good mare that deserved to win a good race and there’s none better than this (George Johnson) in Tasmania,” he said.
Hadley said there were no specific plans to target any interstate races with Spitfire Rose that has won 10 and been placed 12 times from only 34 starts for close to $70,000 in stakes.
Spitfire Rose began her racing career in NSW where she was winless from nine outings but notched three minor placings at Penrith and one at Menangle.
She joined Hadley’s stable in July last year but was retired from the race at her first start in then state but made amends at her subsequent outing at the same venue a week later.
She travelled to Victoria for the 4YO Breeders Crown series and was third in her heat behind Cenosilocophobia but suffered an injury and was sent for a spell.
This latest assignment was only her second this time in. She was a first-up third in the Mother of Pearl in Launceston on November 30.
Watch the relay: