After a number of unplaced runs and a second row barrier draw many people didn't expect Destreos to be one of the main contenders in the Degree C Quality at Devonport last Friday but at odds of $51 with some wagering providers the Ken Rattray warhorse became only the third horse to win 100-races in the Southern Hemisphere. Click here to read Shane Yates' article of the win which includes an audio interview with Ken Rattray.
The four-year-old Sires' Stakes Series also kicked off at Devonport on Friday night with Resurgent Dream to good for her rivals in the Collins Homes Granny Smith Prelude while in the Maxfield Drilling Raider Stakes Harjeet won as expected in heat one while Buster William was able to end his frustrating run of second placings.
Across Bass Strait we seen Queens Advocate win her M0 at Melton last week, the Matthew Dwyer trained mare will be looking to make it back to back wins on Friday night while Vouvray Beach scored at her second Tasmanian start at Swan Hill on Wednesday night.
The Stars
Destreos – become the third standardbred in the Southern Hemisphere to record 100-wins. One thing that has been overlooked with his milestone performance was the toughness of the performance, from barrier four on the second row he was sent forward out three wide for the first half a lap before controlling the race from outside the leader in a 1:57.7 mile rate which was 0.2 of a second outside the track record.
Harjeet - as expected he jogged in to win his heat of the Raider Stakes and he will be very hard to beat in the Group 3 Final on Friday week.
Ricky Duggan – doesn't venture to the north coast often but when he does punters should take notice as he drives the Devonport Showgrounds circuit very well as we saw on Friday night with a driving treble.
Betterbsweet - showed good gate speed to lead from barrier three and put up a brilliant battle with Still Hungover over the final 600-metres but the Betterthancheddar Filly was able to pull clear over the final stages to win by 13.8-metres for trainer-driver Dylan Ford.
Greg Bransden - one of the last trainers based at Glenorchy enjoyed his first win in a number of years with Sign Of Oro after a brilliant drive in the first 200-metres by Paul Hill.
Multiple Winners
Devonport - Friday
Ricky Duggan – driving treble; Resurgent Dream, Castor Troy and Falcon Harry.
Mark Yole – driving double; Destreos and Modern Chic.
Rohan Hillier – driving double; Im Full Tilt and Buster William.
Ben Yole – training double; Modern Chic and Im Full Tilt.
Hobart - Sunday
Troy McDonald - driving double; Plata O Plomo and Washies Chance.
Paul Hill – trained Ideal Bliss and drove Sign Of Oro.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action in Devonport on Friday.
Castor Troy 57.60, Buster William 57.63, Zhukov Leis 57.91, Call Her Julie 58.12 and Goggo Gee Gee 58.28.
View the sectionals across the 10-race program here.
And in Hobart on Sunday.
Full Speed Ahead 56.89, Ideal Bliss 56.94, Dasher Houli 56.99, Stryker 57.01 and Poker Storm 57.16.
Click here to look at sectionals from the whole meeting.
Tasracing Official Price
Devonport
Hit: Buster William $2.15 into $1.90
Defied The Drift: Betterbsweet $3.70 out to $4.00, Destreos $26 out to $31, Castor Troy $4.60 out to $5.50 and Modern Chic $6.00 out to $11.
Missed: El Jays Mystery (2nd) $4.40 into $4.00 and As Himself (3rd) $5.50 into $4.80.
Hobart
Hit's: Ideal Bliss $1.70 into $1.55 and Plata O Plomo $2.50 into $2.20.
Defied The Drift: Full Speed Ahead $17 out to $20, Origin Billy $14 out to $17 and Alemeria $3.50 out to 3.6 - $5.50
Missed: Mi Ju Dan (3rd) $7.00 into $5.00
Black Booker
Stryker
Contested the opening race of the night in Hobart on Sunday where he started from the second row over the 1609 metre event. After grabbing a position slightly worse than midfield driver Hannah Van Dongden eased the gelding three wide at the 1100-metre mark where he carted up the three wide train. Despite a quick last half Stryker continued to run on and recorded his last sectionals in 29.27 and 27.74 with his last mile in 1:58.06.
Watch the replay here.
Trial File
Carrick Park on Saturday
It was an extremely foggy morning at Carrick Park for the first four trials on Saturday morning where those in attendance could pick the field up at 150-metre mark in the home straight. Rodger Ramjet defeated his opposition by 3-metres in the opening trial under standing start conditions under a nice hold, while later in the morning talented three-year-old Bettabrown Tiger led all the way to win by an ever-increasing 25-metres.
The winners of the five trials staged were; Roger Ramjet (No Time Taken due to fog), Blossom Grant (NTT), Cardinal Spec (2:06.8), Bettabrown Tiger (2:07.5) and Cardinal Coffee (2:07.0).
Week Ahead
Launceston will host the only meeting in the state this week on Sunday evening with eight races set down for decision. East Devonport trainer Paul "Skip" Ashwood has his stable performing well in recent months and that looks like it will continue on Sunday night when he takes four runners to the Mowbray Racing Centre.
His first starter of the night is Real Diamond in the opening race who has performed well in his three Tasmanian starts and will appreciate his first front row draw in the state.
Offthetopofmyhead will be aiming for a winning hat-trick in race two but has to overcome a outside of the front row draw.
Ashwood then has to wait until race seven where three-year-old Krafty Boy will be looking for his second win of the season and in the final race of the night for the two-year-olds Reactor Mac, the only winner in the race will be looking to maintain his 100% strike rate.