18 July 2019
by Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing

The last leg of the Tasmanian Sires’ Stakes series was held in Hobart on Sunday with Blame It On Me and Colby Sanz winning their respective Group 2 finals.

Former Railton girl Kristy Elson prepared her first Group 1 winner on Saturday night at Gloucester Park in Perth on Saturday night when Jaspervellabeach took out the Golden Slipper.

This week harness racing heads to Hobart on Friday evening before the Launceston Pacing Club stages the BOTRA Claiming Novice Drivers series on Sunday night.

The Stars

Blame It On Me- capped off a big debut season when the Doug Nettlefold-trained pacer captured the Group 2 Tasracing Evicus Final in Hobart on Sunday. The daughter of Big Jim was three-wide for the final circuit and was well handled by driver Natalee Emery.

Colby Sanz - provided trainer Kent Rattray, driver John Walters and owner-breeders Nathan and Sandra Bennett their second Sires’ Stakes victory for the season when the gelded son of Betterthancheddar led all the way to win the Group 2 Tasracing Dandy Patch Final.

Ryley Major - once again proved too good for his rivals for the sixth time this season in the Tasmanian Veterinary Services Pace.

Adrian Duggan - prepared seven-year-old gelding Witch Master to his first win of the season at his 22nd attempt on Sunday. The Cardmaster Hanover gelding was well driven by Ricky Duggan.

Mark Yole - remains on top of the state drivers title after a driving double in Launceston on Friday. Yole didn’t attend the Hobart meeting on Sunday after the birth of his second child, Amelia Jade Yole.

Multiple Winners

Launceston  – Friday evening

Ben Yole - training treble; Diamond Grace, Popnduke and Max Richter,

Todd Rattray - driving double; Jigamaroo and Reign Of Pain.

Hobart  – Sunday evening 

Ben Yole - training double; Im Full Tilt and Fortino.

Calculated Sectional Standouts

Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.

Launceston  – Friday evening

Aitutaki 58.59s, Boss Major 58.68s, Vapar Glenn 58.79s, Animi Sub Ignis and Popnduke 58.97s.

Hobart  – Sunday evening 

Ryley Major 57.23s, All Style Sammy 58.05s, Inner Light 58.23s. Outside of race six; Vonns Angel 58.80s and Flashy Ruler 58.90s.

View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.

Tasracing Official Price

Launceston  – Friday evening 

Hits: Jaminas Joy $14 into $8.50, Max Richter $26 into $13 and Justtentrumps $2.50 into $2.25.

Defied The Drift: Jigamaroo $6.50 out to $8.00 and Diamond Grace $7.50 out to $9.00.

Missed: Princely Reign $41 into $26, Cardinal Art $31 into $19 and Karalta Kruise $6.50 into $4.60.

Hobart  – Sunday evening 

Hit: Colby Sanz $4.00 into $3.30.

Defied The Drift: Witch Master $7.00 out to $7.50, Karpenkova Leis $3.70 out to $4.20, Im Full Tilt $9.00 out to $9.50 and Fortino $5.50 out to $8.50.

Missed: Volkova Leis $6.00 into $5.50, Chasing Cheetahs $3.20 into $2.80, Jimi Sanz $18 into $11 and Lake Eyre $13 into $8.00.

Trial File

Hobart - Monday Evening

Whos Watching Now, a half brother to Granny Smith winner Ideal Bliss, took out the opening trial in Hobart for two-year-olds. The Paul Hill-trained and driven pacer scored by three meters in the five-horse trial.

There was no time recorded for the 1609-metre event.

Enterprising Milly, also from the Paul Hill stable took out the second trial for horses rated 45-55 over 2090 metres. The daughter of Big Jim defeated Iden Duchess by two metres with Sacramento Sun a distant third in the field of six starters.

The mile rate for 2090 metres was 2m 7.9s.

Devonport - Monday Evening

The Ben Yole-trained My Ultimate Fella recorded the quickest winning mile rate of 2m 3.3s.

My Ultimate Fella, a gelded son of Changeover scored by three metres in the NR 65-86 trial over Courageous Leo with Lord Stark a further three metres away third.

The opening trial of the night was over 1930 metres for horses with a National Rating of 39-50 which was won by Huiffier (2m 8.4s), while Bettabrown Tiger returned to the state after a New South Wales campaign with a win in an NR 52-61 trial in a mile rate of 2m 9.2s.

Week Ahead

Harness racing returns to Hobart on Friday evening for a seven-event program.

The opening race on the card is the Rexel North Hobart pace for three-year-olds with a national rating of 30 to 54, where the Rohan Hillier-trained and driven Boss Major will line up as a short-price favourite after finishing second out his last two outings.

Boss Major, a gelded son of top sire Art Major, was a good winner in Launceston three starts ago when breaking his maiden status, when sent out as the $2.30 favourite.

Hillier will have a second row draw to overcome in the 1609-metre event which is scheduled to start at 16:48

The Hobart card will be televised on Sky Racing 2 you can also catch the action at Tasracing’s Live Stream.

The action then heads up the Midlands Highway to Launceston on Sunday evening for an eight race card, featuring four heats of the BOTRA Claiming Novice Drivers Series.

Races two, three, four and six make up the series.

The first heat looks to be a battle of the girls with Hannah Van Dongen (Karpenkova Leis), Kimberley Grant (Bremusa) and Georgia Hayward (Popnduke) all getting the opportunity to drive last-start winners.

A competitive two-year-old race for horses with a national rating of 30 - 49 rounds out the night's action where the Mark Jones-trained Kosimo will be looking to end his run of second placings, his most recent was behind Colby Sanz in the Dandy Patch Prelude.

The Launceston card commences at 17:13 and will be shown on Sky Racing 1 and via Live Stream at tasracing.com.au

At metropolitan venues interstate this weekend we see;

Melton - Saturday night

Race 5 Horse 10 War Dan - part-owned by Tasmanian interest,

Race 10 Horse 6 No Apachemee - part-owned by Tasmanian interest.

Menangle - Saturday night

Race 3 Horse 4 Pachacuti - Tasmanian owned and bred,

Race 6 (Group 3) Horse 8 Rykov Leis - Tasmanian owned and bred,

Race 8 Horse 3 Im Jaks Teller - Tasmanian owned,

Albion Park - Saturday night

Race 4 Horse 8 Ideal Bliss - Tasmanian owned and bred.