The ten event programme staged by the Launceston Pacing Club at Mowbray on Friday evening was thrown into chaos when a four car collison in Launceston blocked all the roads to the race track. Travelling the few kilometres from the city to the track took up to an hour and a half. Races were put back an hour, but by shortening the time between races the last event started just after its scheduled starting time.
A feature of the meeting was leading reinsman Gareth Rattray driving three of the winners, Im Full Tilt, Parwill and Spot Eight. Rattray has won the Tasmanian drivers premiership for the last ten seasons, but through injury he was unable to drive from 27 December 2015 to 5 March 2016.
Rattray’s total of 32 wins is a long way behind Mark Yole’s 57. Next is Ricky Duggan on 52 wins (includes results from Hobart on Sunday 1 May). With 26 meetings remaining for the 2015/16 harness racing season, Yole and Duggan appear to be the obvious quinella. Rohan Hillier is currently third with 41 wins.
Williamlee continues to impress with his wins through the classes. On Friday night he led all the way in the Sunrise Bakery Stakes for C4/5 class pacers. Although he will not reach the heights of his half-brother Lombo Pocket Watch ($1.5 million), both being sons of the very good race mare Misty Maiden, he should not have any trouble winning many more races. Williamlee is owned by Shelley Barnes, Maurice Hill, Mike Last and Glenn Marshall, trained by Shelley Barnes and was driven by John Walters. He is a four year bay gelding by Modern Art and has now won three races with two placings from his last six starts.
The three heats of the Harry Holgate Memorial were also staged during the evening. The final will be held at the track on the 8th of May. Nothing stood out in the heats so the barrier draw will have a big influence on who will start favourite in the final. Bisping led all the way to easily defeat outsider Sir Dasher Dee in the first heat, and if he draws to lead in the final he will be the one to beat. Parwill put up a good performance to beat the odds on favourite Rusty Red Comet in the second heat, whilst pacemaker Gangnam Dancer hung on to defeat Mersey Delight in a slowly run third heat.
By Peter Cooley