Usain Jolt
It’s been a while since Tasmania witnessed a three year old like Halyer or Astral Francais, who both proved to be competitive with the best in the Australia. However, the 2017 crop of three year olds is up there with the best in recent years with the top performers being Scooterwillrev and Usain Jolt.
Only two Tasmanian trained and owned pacers have won the Derby since 1999. In 2015, Mister Lennox won the Tasmanian classic and went on to finish a close up fourth in the Breeders Crown Final. Last season (2016) Ryley Major capped a stellar season winning the Derby amongst his eight wins from eight starts.
There are a few quality three year olds that didn’t win the Tasmanian Derby who deserve recognition. A special mention has to go to Dare We Dream who ran second to Divisive, Australia’s best three year old, in both the Tasmanian and Australian Derby’s.
Gedlee was a highly talented but injury plagued pacer who could do anything on the track when right, which included a second in the Australian Derby.
Beautide was a luckless fourth in the Derby but that was his only defeat in 10 starts as a three year old. His deeds since are well documented being a dual Inter Dominion champion and a Miracle Mile winner.
This season, with the Tasmanian Derby scheduled for Sunday afternoon on the 2nd of April at Hobart, five horses appear to be in contention as winning prospects.
Scooterwillrev is the top seed. The Craig Hayes trained and driven gelding is unbeaten from nine starts in Tasmania. His greatest weapon is his speed and his strength which added together makes him a formidable opponent for his rivals. A bit of Pachacuti maybe?
Usain Jolt is the clear second seed. He has gone to a new level this season and is still learning what racing is about. The 2579 metre race will suit Usain Jolt down to the ground. If the Tony Petersen-trained gelding keeps improving the sky could be the limit for Usain Jolt. Is there a touch of Halyer about him?
Buster William has always been thereabouts in the quality races, often from poor barrier draws. The Wayne Campbell-trained gelding proved he is more than capable of mixing it in the top two with the right trip in transit when he beat Usain Jolt recently. Is Buster William similar to stablemate Riverboat Jasper at the same time?
The two new kids on the block, Zhukov Leis and Harjeet, are both from the Todd Rattray stable and they scored very impressive wins over the weekend.
Zhukov Leis is a beautifully bred half-brother to the injury prone topliner in Jaruzelski Leis and showed that he has inherited the family bloodlines with an all the way win on debut.
Harjeet is a son of Rocknroll Hanover out the well performed race mare in Our Zellweger. He resumed with a dominant win on Sunday night dashing home in a 57.7 last half. Both Zhukov Leis and Harjeet have a way to go to be considered in the same league as the other three but can’t be ruled out entirely.
2017 promises to be a great Derby with Scooterwillrev the top seed and deserving top billing but there are plenty of supporters joining the Usain Jolt camp after his last two dominant wins have indicated he is finally realising what the racing game is all about.
An interesting facet of the Tasmanian Derby is that two of the Tasmanian Harness Hall of Fame inductees are yet to register victory in the event.
Barrie Rattray has never trained a winner of the prestigious race although he did drive the Marc Butler trained Joesashyguy to success in 1999. With Todd Rattray now training the Rattray stable runners, a Rattray training victory in the Tasmania Derby now appears to be in the hands of Todd or Gareth Rattray.
Ricky Duggan has also found the Derby a race that has eluded him over his illustrious career in the gig but he gets his chance to get the monkey off his back this year as he has the drive behind one of the leading chances in Usain Jolt.
All in all it promises to be a great race and the winner will deserve the accolades given the quality of opposition that is likely to front up at Hobart on 2 April.
