THE eight-race program at UBET Racing Centre Launceston on Sunday features a race that would not be out of place during the summer carnival.
The benchmark 82 handicap over 1220m will see star three-year-old Valiant Warrior go up against rising stars He’s Applz and Tennessee Drive and all three could be back racing in November in the state’s most prestigious sprint the Newmarket handicap.
Tennessee Drive is a lightly raced five-year-old has won five of only seven starts and all of his victories have been on the synthetic at Devonport.
But his trainer Troy Blacker holds no fear of grass tracks for his stable star.
“He can handle all types of tracks and while he’s only raced in turf once and was unlaced he was in need of the run,” Blacker said.
“He’s a very versatile horse that can lead or come from behind and one of his biggest assets is that he can settle in his races and that’s likely to allow him to get a bit more ground,” he said.
Tennessee Drive will again be ridden by apprentice Hayley McCarthy who has been in the saddle for four of the gelding’s five wins.
Valiant Warrior strung together five wins in succession before finishing second to another star three-year-old Admiral and he also failed in the Magic Millions Classic behind Rumeron.
But he bounced back with a vengeance to win the $50,000 3YO Classic on Launceston Cup day in February.
The Adam Trinder-trained gelding goes into this race with two trials under his belt and he won both so confidence is high about this son of West Quest winning first-up.
He’s Applz, prepared by John Blacker at Longford, has struck form of later winning his past two and with Brendon McCoull aboard he will make his presence felt at the business end of proceedings.
Add to the mix this season’s Devonport Cup winner Lander Dollar that has good second-up form over sprint distances, last-start winner Our Casanova and the promising Vandermeer the stage will be set for a cracking race with reputations put on the line.
By Peter Staples.