Harness racing trainer Kent Rattray produced another longshot Tasbred Final win, when Twilight Storm claimed her maiden victory in the Group 3 Woodlands Stud Evicus (1609m) for the Tasbred Two Year Old fillies in Hobart on Saturday night.
Driver Jordan Chibnall positioned the daughter of Capt Midnight behind the leader, before utilising the sprint lane to score at odds of $81.
Race favourite Bridwood Maisey ($1.10) led after being involved in a 27.3s first quarter, and was grabbed late, ending up in a dead-heat for second with Queen Anastasia ($21), 1.8m behind the winner in a mile rate of 1:57.3s.
Kent Rattray explained post-race that owner-breeder Shane Hawes didn’t give the filly a winning chance, and he elected to stay at his north-east base to watch the race.
“You come with the idea hoping they would run a place, but when they went silly off the gate, you don’t know what will happen after that.
“She is no champion, but she goes alright. Racing will improve her, and we have had two trips out to Carrick over the past fortnight, and Neville (Kent’s brother) drove her, and I drove another two-year-old with her, and she had improved by just doing that, as at home I’m working them by myself,” said Kent.
Jordan Chibnall wasn’t the first choice for the drive, but Rattray was glad to gain her services.
“One driver had the drive but elected to go to Queensland, another driver then had the drive but he had to go camping, and then I started looking and I thought Jordan does a good job driving, so I rang her.”
The filly is the only live foal from the Rocknroll Hanover mare Stormborn.
“Shane (Hawes) does a good job with his breeding, and I don’t even look at stallions now. I just tell him who I want to breed from and let him pick me one because he spends his time doing that, and likes doing that.
“I have also got to acknowledge Damian Spring, he broke her in and she came to me a perfect horse to work, that has never given me a problem,” the winning trainer said.
Twilight Storm’s starting price was $81, the same starting price as another Evicus winner prepared by Kent, Karalta Moondance in 2018.
Woodlands Stud Dandy Patch
Lather Up colt Solo Safari ($10) was able to claim the Group 3 Dandy Patch (2090m) for the Tasbred Two Year Olds colts and geldings.
From inside the second row, driver Mitch Ford was able to push through and race on the back of the leader before working one-off near the 250m, with the colt holding Barber Shop ($4.20) late by 2.5m, with Always Bettor ($9) a further 1.9m away third in a mile rate of 1:59.6s.
“The horse deserves it, he went around in the first two-year-old of the year, and it’s a big effort to be here towards the end of the season. The last couple of weeks, he has jumped out of the ground, his heart rate has dropped, and he looks fantastic,” said trainer Bianca Heenan post-race.
“His run in Launceston a few starts ago, he was out and moving at the 400m, and I think that suits him more. I said to Mitch, if you can be out and running before the sprint lane, then get out, as I don’t think he is really sharp.
The pacer is the eighth horse to race from the Badlands Hanover mare Weona Badgirl, and the son of Lather Up won’t be a colt for much longer.
“He will get gelded now and go to the paddock, and let’s hope he can come back and do it again,” said Heenan.
Solo Safari was bred by Michelle Wardle, and is raced by Heenan, along with one of the state’s largest owners, Steve Wyles.
He was a $35,000 purchase from last year’s Nutrein Equine Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
