Former New South Wales driver Conor Crook extended his lead on the Tasmanian Drivers premiership for the extended 2019/20 season with a treble in Launceston on Sunday night.
Former New Zealand pacer Loch Ness Franco put Crook on the winner’s list early with an all the way win in the McKillop Insurance Brokers Pace.
The daughter of Changeover was able to hold the lead from barrier one and enjoyed some comfortable easy sections before dashing home to score by 3.2 metres in a mile rate of 2m 1.7s for the 2200- metre journey.
“She put a bit of a gap on them down the back and then just jogged around,” said Crook after the victory.
“She is above average, and she is pretty strong,” added the winning trainer-driver.
The mare is still progressing through the national rating system, but Crook is predicting a bright future for the winner of two races from six starts.
“When she gets to those standing start mares features, she will be right in them for sure,” said Crook with the mare proving herself behind the tapes with two placings in standing start races before arriving in Australia.
The Steve Lukac-trained Donny In Paris is on track for next month’s Raider Stakes when scoring second-up from a break last night.
Backed in from $8.00 into $3.80, the Rug Rat Donny gelding settled in a midfield position before finding the spot outside the leader in the middle stages.
Proving too tough for his rivals, Donny In Paris scored by 5.2 metres in 1m 59.8s.
“Steve (Lukac) said he would be better from the run last week and he certainly was,” said Crook.
“He is going to the Raider Stakes, and he is not out of it after that run, Crook said about the pacer who has now won three of 11 starts.
The last leg of Crook’s treble came in the final race of the night when he partnered the unbeaten Rohan Hadley-trained two-year-old filly Bridwood Bella to her third win.
The daughter of Auckland Reactor retained the lead from her pole draw to score by 10.9 metres and was eased down late in a mile rate of 1m 59.2s.
“She was a bit more fired up than she was last start, but she is a very very nice horse,” explained Crook.
