“The Flash is back”.
They were the words uttered by prominent owner Paul Geard after his star galloper Geegees Blackflash scored a brilliant win in the weight-for-age Conquering over 1400 metres at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight.
In a nail-biting finish, Geegees Blackflash (Siggy Carr) edged out former NSW gelding Pitt Street with the favourite Banca Mo a close-up third ahead of the luckless Iggimacool.
It was Geegees Blackflash’s third run this time in and but it was clearly a warning that the champ was going to be a force in the upcoming weight-for-age races and major cups over the Betfair Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.
Geard was understandably emotional after the win.
“This horse has been such a wonderful ambassador for Tasmanian racing and to us he is a part of our family,” Geard said.
“He’s eight-years-old and we were wondering if he was still capable of doing those marvelous things that have made him a champion racehorse and tonight he proved he hasn’t lost the sparkle that sets him apart from the rest,” he said.
Geegees Blackflash has never left the state but is close to winning a million in stakes with this latest win leaving his career prizemoney tally only $14,000 short of the magical million mark.
“It would be great if he could reach the million dollar tally and I think he will.”
“It would be even better if he won to crack the million dollar barrier,” Geard said.
Geegees Blackflash was well ridden by apprentice Siggy Carr who has been returning to her home state from South Australia on a regular basis to ride the horse.
However she won’t know until next week whether she will be available to ride “The Flash” at his next start in a weight-for-age race over 1600m in Launceston on New Year’s Eve.
“I have a meeting with my master John Hyam on Monday to discuss a few things so it all depends on the outcome of that meeting as to whether I will be back to ride Geegees Blackflash on New Year’s Eve,” Carr said.