The Tasmanian Trotting Club may only be hosting a six-race card on Monday night, but the meeting sure has a lot of quality given four of the races will be held at $12,000 in prizemoney.
While the time-honoured Pauly’s Pizza New Norfolk Cup is the feature event, most eyes will be on the Toreace Flying Mile where the state’s best pacers do battle.
Devonport Pacing Cup winner Ryley Major is on the quick back-up and has drawn barrier six in the event while Ignatius who is first-up since running fourth in the Tassie Golden Apple has drawn out wide in barrier seven.
Sprint track record holder at both Hobart and Launceston, Call Me Hector, draws nicely in barrier four as the Matthew Cooper-trained and driven pacer returns to his favourite distance.
The race also features Hobart Cup winner Star Chamber and former Victorian pacer The Crimson Prince who will be having his third start in the state.
In the New Norfolk Pacing Cup, a field of seven will do battle over 3060 metres after the scratching of Kardesler, which leaves last year’s winner Finn Mac Kee as the sole 30-metre backmarker.
Finn Mac Kee trained in the heart of the Derwent Valley by Thomas Jackson was a very excited man after claiming his hometown cup last year with the pacer who goes into Monday night’s event third-up from a break and should be at peak fitness for the feature.
The E C Plunkett Memorial is another highlight on the card where Watchmylips faces one of his toughest tests to date in the rating 60 to 69 event from outside of the front line.
The other highlight on the card is the Art Meeker Memorial Matron Stakes for the mares where a competitive field will do battle over the 2579-metre journey with many of the mares having their first try at the distance in a very open race.
Monday night’s card will be live hosted by Matt Reid on TasracingTV, while Sky Racing 1 will televise races two and four with the remainder of the card on Sky Racing 2, with the first race set down for 17:36.
