A rare occurrence for any state happened atHobarton Sunday night (13 May) when all winners were locally bred. The nine race card was a clean sweep for Tasbreds, which made up 59% of the starters at the meeting.
Two stars of Tasmanian harness racing were amongst the winners – Beautide and High Flying Ruler. Beautide was having his first outing in open company in the standing start $10,000 Plunkett Family Ascot Gold Cup. The four year old Bettors Delight gelding, out of the three time Tasmanian broodmare of the year winner Gorse Bush, worked to the lead early for all conquering reinsman Gareth Rattray.
From there it was a procession. Beautide ambled thought the first half in 64 seconds before upping the tempo with a 56.9 last half, which included a closing quarter of 27.9.
Second place getter Tanabi Bromac produced a super effort off 30 meters andLandofPanaarm, after enjoying a perfect trail behind Beautide, hung on for third.
Beautide is a great example of what a Tasbred can earn locally. From 21 lifetime starts inTasmania, Beatide has won 16 races and placed three times for stake earnings of $118,174. Tasbred bonuses of $8,000 and a $9,800 Tasbred Breeders Coupon add up to a total of $135,974 forTasmania’s best four year old.
High Flying Ruler ($1.40 fav) again demonstrated her complete dominance of three year old fillies’ races with another emphatic victory in the $10,000 Killarney Stud Bouquet. From the extreme draw in the six horse field, trainer/driver Rohan Hillier elected to restrain early and ended up last in the running line.
With the Joe Buttigieg trained Moment of Silence leading and her stablemate Royal Affair in the death, it appeared that High Flying Ruler would be tested in what shaped as a sprint to the judge. The sprint eventuated but it was hardly a test for the star filly as she worked three wide from the 800 then responded in the straight to charge clear and win by 7.3 metres.
High Flying Ruler has won all five starts this season with a career record of six wins and a second from seven starts. Many locals are convinced the Tasmanian Oaks winner could mix it with the best in the nation but her next assignment will be only 40 minutes from home in the Bullock Consulting Bandbox series for the Tasbred three year old fillies at Launceston. $8,000 heats are scheduled for 27 May followed by the $30,000 final on 10 June.
Hillier is having an amazing season with 22 winners from only 50 starters from his Beauty Point stable. Furthermore, a stellar season in the cart with 44 winners has resulted in second place in the state driver’s premiership. On Sunday night he trained a double when Littlebitachicknfried ($1.50 fav) won the last and he completed a driving treble with Patricias Time in the $10,000ShirleyHillsfor the mares.