It was a night of upsets at Devonport on Friday with a boilover in the Granny Smith Preludeand a heat of the Raider Stakes.
Izaha, was one of only two favourites to salute the judge on the eight-event card, the Todd Rattray-trained former Globe Derby winner strolled to a 16.8 metre victory in heat two of the Raider Series coming home in an effortless last-half of 57.3 seconds.
The first heat saw Streitkid, Tisu Spirit, Dufrense and Yatsenyuk Leis the well supported top four fancies but it was to be the Kate MacLeod prepared Shadow Ross (pictured) that would emerge victorious sprinting from last at the bell.
“He’s been in great form winning two of his last three starts going into last night and even when he ran sixth in Hobart he was trapped out three wide when fast splits were being recorded so he may have been flying under the radar going into the heat at double figure odds,” said Kate.
“He’s a very big horse and is as green as grass with a lot to learn, when other drivers have driven him they have described him as dumb but he was switched on last night and when I asked him to go at the bell he worked into it strongly out three-wide and just powered his way to second on the home turn and then gunned down Tisu Spirit in the straight.”
Ray Pullen’s aggressive tactics paid off when he set Brystabella alight from fifth at the mile to run to the front at the 1200-metres, before defying her rivals over the final lap and a half at bolters odds in race one, the Collins Homes Granny Smith Prelude.
Olivia Weidenbach landed the first win of her career in the sulky when she guided Another Swinger to an all-the-way victory while Samantha Gangell chimed in with a winning double courtesy of Yellow Taxi and Heza Rummage.
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Ben Yole continued his record-breaking season training four winners on the eight-event card with Northdown trainer Geoff Smith landing the quinella in race three with Victoria Pass and Midair Meltdown.
