Triedtotellya and Star Major clash against some newcomers to Tasmanian harness racing in the Morey’s Tours Pace (2090m), which headlines Sunday night’s nine-race program in Hobart.
Triedtotellya will be out to lift his Inter Dominion ranking as he seeks a spot in next month’s series at Albion Park in Brisbane.
Connections had intended to take the gelding to Melbourne to race in a Free For All race in recent weeks before that trip was aborted.
“He was nominated, but he had a little setback about two days before he was to go on the boat, so we decided to wait and make sure he was right before we did go.
“I’m hoping he is not at the end of his prep because he is a young horse with not many starts, and to go over and race them, you have to be spot on,” said the pacer’s trainer-driver, Rohan Hillier.
“Hopefully, he can win, be impressive on Sunday, and be close to the mark on the next round of rankings (on Wednesday). If he were to go to the Inter Dominion, he would have to be on the boat next week.”
Star Major, who contested heats of last year’s New South Wales Inter Dominion and won five metro races at Menangle last season, will start from outside the front row in Sunday’s race for trainer-driver Todd Rattray.
The Art Major gelding, who won a heat of the Easter Cup five starts ago, has been runner-up to Triedtotellya at his last two outings.
“He had a bit of a snotty nose just after his last run, where he probably wasn’t at his best.
“He has drawn bad, and he hasn’t been going too bad. It’s going to be hard to beat Triedtotellya as he has drawn inside of us,” said Rattray.
One Big Shew, a former New South Wales pacer, will be first-up in the care of Adrian Duggan from barrier one, while Anything Goes, who was second in a Menangle Free For All four starts ago in a race where Star Major finished third, will be first-up in the state and in the care of Wayne Yole.
Meanwhile, last year’s Group 3 Bandbox winner Swiatek Leis will resume from a break for trainer-driver Todd Rattray in the Tasmanian Horse Transport Pace (1609m).
“We will get a few runs into her before the (Group 3) Granny Smith (next month).
“Her work has been good at home, and her temperament has been a tad better. She did want to kick nearly the whole way in her trial (when third at Carrick on 31 May), but I only wanted to follow them around, and she felt good over the line,” said Rattray.
