Tasracing

Seven-year-old gelding Chasing Cheetahs bounced back into the winner’s list with a dominant win in the Ladbrokes Stakes last night in Launceston.

The Juanita McKenzie-trained pacer was well supported from $4.20 into $2.60 on the Tasracing Official Prices and driver Gareth Rattray didn’t let favourite punters down with a brilliant drive.

He settled the pacer one-out and two-back before enjoying a lovely cart into the race over the final 600 metres.

“He had a good run, we were able to get on to the back of Somedan and finished off well,” said driver Gareth Rattray after the race.

It was the eleventh career win for Chasing Cheetahs, and it could have been his twelfth win if he hadn’t have galloped at a vital stage in Hobart on 15 December.

“He hit the front and I pulled the pull-down blinds on him and he frightened himself and galloped,” explained Rattray.

Talented three-year-old filly Blame It On Me ($3.60) registered her first win of the season with an all the way win in the Faithful Park Stud Stakes over 2200 metres.

The Doug Nettlefold trained pacer was able to find the lead to win at her first try beyond 1680 metres.

“She went super, I thought she would go good as the time she recorded was good at her first try over that distance,” said driver Natalee Emery after the win.

“She had no luck first-up when she got stuck on the pegs, but she felt good that night and I was always confident going into this race, but it is always a question mark when you are racing older horses, but she exceeded expectations and I’m very pleased with her” added Emery.

Blame It On Me will likely have a freshen up before tackling the Three-year-old Fillies Championship in Hobart on 1 March before heading to the Tasmanian Oaks which is also in Hobart on 14 March.

Trainer Ben Yole and driver Troy McDonald are part of a growing list of participants that are donating a portion of their winning percentages for every winner they record this month to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, and they teamed up to win with Artiflash ($19.00) in the Great Northern Super Crisp Stakes.

McDonald positioned the six-year-old gelding on the back of the race leader, Tarleton Riley, from inside of the second row.

“It was a good win, he got the right run when they ran along on the back of the leader and there was no one outside him so I was able to come out whenever I wanted too,” said driver Troy McDonald.

Artiflash scored by a head over Beam Me Up Chopper who hit the front halfway down the straight.

“He just waited for them in the straight, when the other one went passed him, he kicked back,” explained the driver.

Yole trained the well supported Jakes A Joy ($2.80 into $1.90) to victory later in the night.

Jakes A Joy was driven by Mark Yole with the win completing a driving double for Mark who took out the Tassie Wash Discretionary aboard Sea Double Ugrant.

Backed from $11.00 into $4.00, the gelded son of Four Starzzz Shark was able to fly away in the standing start event to lead all the way to defeat the 20-metre handicap runner Pachacuti.

It was the tenth career win at start 27 for the Peter Dornauf trained pacer who was back in the winner’s circle later in the night when winning the final race of the night aboard Levi Jimmy ($6.50) who is trained by his brother Leigh.

Watch Sea Double Ugrant take out the Tassie Wash Discretionary: