Racegoers will have to set the alarm for the nine-race card in Devonport on Sunday afternoon.
The first race is set down for 12.17 pm, the earliest start to a harness race meeting in Tasmania in just over two years, and the first afternoon meeting in Devonport since November 2018.
Last start Devonport winner Chris Be Quick will be out to add on his impressive Devonport record when he lines up in the Auststar Freight Distributors Mobile, which is race seven on the card.
The gelded son of Art Major came from well back in the field to win a rating 50 to 54 event over 1930m last week when defeating Bettorz Beach by 6.4 metres, which was to the delight of owner-trainer Geoff Smith.
“I was real pleased with him last start, and he went good the week before when he ran second. Hannah (van Dongen) said he was just tough last week, he was three-wide for a while and ran away from them through the line,” said Smith.
Chis Be Quick has the pole draw on Sunday, his first front-row draw in his last five mobile starts, and the trainer is confident the pacer can run a good race from the draw.
“I think he has a good chance on Sunday drawn one, he can get out of the gate pretty good, and he loves Devonport,” said Smith.
And love Devonport he does, with the pacer recording six of his 11 wins on the Devonport track.
Smith has Devil Of Tyne engaged at the meeting, in the fourth race, the Nutrien Ag Solutions Mobile, with the 10-year-old gelding going into the race off a last-start third, behind his stablemate Chris Be Quick last week.
“He is a good money-spinner, it is just a shame he doesn’t have that sprint for the last 50m, but he will plod at his speed all day and is very honest and should go alright in that race, it doesn’t look overly hard for him,” said Smith about the winner of 11 races, who has 27 minor placings to his credit.
Smith also has Im Quite American engaged at the meeting, who is an emergency in the second race.
“I would like to see him get a run. He has been working really well at home, so we may have to wait until next week to get a run, but it is pretty tough to get a run at present,” said the Northdown based trainer.
The first three races on the Devonport card will be shown on Sky Racing 1, with the remainder of the card on Sky Racing 2.
The meeting was added to the calendar after the Burnie Harness Racing Club cancelled what was to be their Cup meeting.
