The Launceston Pacing Club stages its first meeting featuring trotting tonight with the running of the Neil Pitt Discretionary Handicap.
Last week’s successful trotting event in Hobart has raised interest after the Adam Emery-prepared Ten Caisses stormed through along the Roberts Sprint Lane to create history by becoming the first winner of a trotting race in Tasmania in almost a century.
The field of five all finished within 2.7-metres of the winner, adding to the spectacle of what was an entertaining affair.
Four of the five runners will face the starter again tonight with Ben Yole adding two new trotters to the ranks, joining his original team member My Jackofdiamonds.
“Tip Top Eurasian and Charlottes Crown will both start from the front line tonight while My Jackofdiamonds which ran a solid second on debut in the state will come from the 10-metre handicap,” said the state’s leading trainer.
“I was really impressed with the way the trotters performed in Hobart, we didn’t have a runner even look like galloping in the run so it was a credit to everyone and to have such a close finish was the icing on the cake, I will be interested to see the way our two newcomers measure up under pressure.”
Punters will be looking to get off to a flying start to the meeting with the Phil Mascall-trained Origin Cronk returning from a brief layoff in the opening race, the Nichols Sound and Communications Stakes.
Origin Cronk returned from a two-year injury-enforced break to put two wins together at Devonport in March followed by success in Launceston in April.
The Cardmaster Hanover-Arabella Lombo five-year-old gelding will have the services of Samantha Gangell and has drawn favourably in four on the front line over the 1680-metre sprint trip.
The Michael Laugher-prepared filly Karalta Felesha returns from unplaced runs in the Sweepstakes and Evicus Finals to contest the last race on the card the Roberts Equine Supplies Two-Year-Old.
Prior to racing in the Feature events, the Mach Three-Caroline Claire filly had scored impressively in Launceston, leading all the way to score by 6.7 metres.
Gareth Rattray will guide Karalta Felesha out of the mobile from gate three on the front line and appears ready to return to the winner’s list.
Tonight’s eight-event Launceston Pacing Club card, commencing at 17.25, can be seen via the live stream service at tasracing.com.au with host Duncan Dornauf previewing the meeting at 17:00.
