The first two-year-old event for the 2019-2020 season will be held in Launceston tonight with the running of the $15,000 Keith Stanley Memorial Debutante Stakes.
Punters have been left in the dark with no trial vision available, instead, they are relying on trial results, the odd word around the track and no doubt today they will have a close eye out for any market moves.
East Devonport trainer Paul Ashwood has three runners engaged, two of those have been the standout performers on times in recent trials.
Who Said You Said (pictured) has been the quickest trial winner in the state this season when winning a trial at Carrick Park on 23 December in 2m 3.0s by 12-metres, the only other pacer in the six-horse field on that occasion contesting tonight’s race is the fourth placegetter Shaun To The Max who was 33 metres behind the winner in that trial.
“He is a little bit lazy and not quite switched on yet,” said trainer Paul Ashwood about the Western Terror gelding who has drawn outside of the front line.
“He has got a bit of gate speed, I’ll leave it up to Rodney (Ashwood) if he wants to use it from out there or not,” said the trainer.
The second quickest trial winner has been Yeah Mate, who has won two trials with his quickest mile rate being his win at Carrick Park in 2m 3.8s.
“He is a bit of a silly horse, but he has a lot of ability,” explained Ashwood.
“When he went 2m 3.8s at Carrick and it was no effort for him,” added Ashwood who drove the pacer on that occasion.
There is a bit more form to take into the equation from that trial with the second placegetter Impulsive George (defeated 10m), third placegetter Incognito (17m from the winner) and Agouda Ruler (defeated 46m) all contesting tonight event.
Yeah Mate was defeated a half head behind Stuey D, a seasoned trotter in his only other trial on 11 November.
Ashwood also prepares Shaun To The Max who he will also drive.
“He goes alright, he is still learning the game, he went ok over the 2150m in his most recent trial,” said Ashwood who will take the drive.
The Petrock gelding has had three trials for two placings.
All three runners from the Ashwood stable are owned and bred by Mick Maxfield.
Old Beach trainer Paul Hill has not only a good record in this race but a good record in many two-year-old feature races.
He prepares Rocknovertime and Rocknroll Nitro in tonight’s event.
Rocknroll Nitro will be driven by Ricky Duggan who said “he has trialled good and does everything right,” when speaking on Tasracing’s From The Stables Podcast.
The full bother to Rocknroll Turbo is also a half relation to Jerrys Jet and Enterprising Milly.
He has won his last two trials including a win in Hobart on 6 January in 2m 6.6s.
“He done it easy enough as did Rocknovertime he was more or less alongside him, they both ran well enough together,” explained Duggan.
The only other horse in tonight’s event with winning trial form is the Kent Rattray trained Impulsive George who scored on 9 December by five metres in 2m 5.6s.
Kent Rattray has trained the last two winners of the race with Rockandahardplace and Sunny Sanz.
Bookmakers last night opened Rocknroll Nitro as the $2.90 favourite for the event that is scheduled to start at 18:15.
The first of seven events will commence at 17:14 with the meeting televised on Sky Racing 2.