Jordan Chibnall is excited to have talented mare Ultimaction back at the track in Launceston on Sunday night, with the five-year-old mare set to tackle the $14,000 Rodney Burgess Patrons Marathon (2698m).
The daughter of Ultimate Machete has won nine of her 16 starts, including all four of her efforts at her most recent campaign, as she commences her preparation towards the state’s premier mares race, the $30,000 George Johnson on 28 February in Hobart.
“I’m really excited to see her back,” said Chibnall, with Sunday’s meeting her third since returning to the sulky from injury, after being dislodged from the cart in Hobart early last month.
“She is one whom I aimed to be back to drive. I didn’t want anyone else like Conor to drive her.”
The pacer has drawn position six. Although officially off a 10m handicap, there will be no runners starting off the front mark, in what will be the mare’s first standing start appearance after qualifying in a Carrick trial on Monday night.
“She is pretty sensible and I think she will step well.
“She needed a bit of a freshen up after a tough campaign, where she won every race (in four starts) but had a few tough runs in there, and she needed that freshen up before the George Johnson.”
Chibnall, who is one of two drivers that are wearing the Team Teal colours until 15 March, has several other drives on the program, including Keyang Galliano in the North West Light Harness Association Mares Feature (2200m).
“She’s been going super without winning. It looks like a winnable race. She stepped really well at the trials, and hopefully she can bring that to the races,” said the driver about the mare who will also be having her first standing start try.
The Launceston card starts early, for a Sunday twilight meeting at 16:29.
