The second of two consecutive midweek harness meetings will be held in Hobart on Wednesday, with eight races on the card.
This Wednesday’s meeting and the Hobart program seven days earlier were moved from Friday-night slots to capitalise on the opportunity for Sky 1 coverage. Trainer/driver Rodney Ashwood will have three runners engaged in Hobart and is a fan of the scheduling change.
“I think the day meetings are fantastic. With the night meetings, we’re often getting home at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. It takes a big toll, and I think with the Wednesday meetings, if we’re going to run them, trainers will find a way to come,” Ashwood said.
Ashwood has a two-pronged attack on Wednesday’s opening race, the Tasmanian Horse Transport Pace for maidens over 2090m. His pair, Gemmy Lou and Ohana By The Sea, have drawn the two inside barriers.
“Gemmy Lou only just arrived at home on Friday, so I don’t know a heap about her yet. She’s a small-framed horse, and her couple of runs in Victoria have been okay.”
A 3yo filly, Gemmy Lou, placed in two of her four starts in Victoria and hasn’t started at a higher price than $5.50 in any of them. Ashwood believes her more experienced stablemate, Ohana By The Sea, is the better chance of winning of the two.
“She had no luck last start, she got knocked over and has been competitive in Melbourne a bit,” Ashwood said of the 18-start mare who has had two runs for his stable.
Rodney will drive his stable newcomer, while Ricky Duggan will drive Ohana By The Sea.
Rounding out Ashwood’s trio is last-start winner Sport Watcher, who brought up her maiden win in the $20,000 Eric Reece Memorial on Tasmania Cup night. She’s a solid chance of back-to-back wins stepping out in a no more than one lifetime wins affair (1609m).
“It was about time Sport Watcher got a win, and it was all the better in a $20,000 race,” said Ashwood, who will have the drive himself and is drawn to be up on speed from barrier 2.
Wednesday’s eight-race card is set to commence at 13:48.
