The 2019 Triple M Australian Drivers Championship was held in Hobart on Saturday night and Australia’s best drivers insured that there was a strong tempo throughout each event of the seven-race series.
The average lead time across the seven races was 0.5s faster than the average lead time of the previous 16-races held over the 2090 metre trip this season which ensured for a competitive nights racing.
Gary Hall Jnr from Western Australia won the series by 14-points over Mark Yole (TAS) with Darby McGuigan (VIC) three points behind in third position.
Credit must go to clerk of the course Zane Medhurst who quickly captured Awayandrideyourself after driver Pete McMullen’s seat became detached from the sulky. Medhurst’s effort ensured that the horse and gear were returned to trainer Rohan Hillier all intact.
It was a big moment for Latrobe businessman Warren Viney when Cruz Bromac, a pacer that he part-owns, took out Tuesday's NZ$720,625 New Zealand Trotting Cup in front of 27,000 people at Addington Raceway in Christchurch.
This week we have harness racing on the states north-west coast at Devonport and in Launceston on Sunday with the time-honoured Doug Martin Memorial Danbury Park Cup and the Shirley Martin Mother of Pearl for the mares.
The Stars
Gary Hall Jnr
Dubbed “The Best from the West” by race caller Matt Robertson after Hall Jnr took home the first win for Western Australia at the Australian Drivers Championship.
Two wins and two placings were enough for Hall Jnr to take home the title. His first win was aboard Iden Forest who once again proved a handful for his driver when outstaying his rivals in Heat Four before Hall Jnr produced a brilliant front running drive to score on Koolaz Elvis in Heat Five by an ever-increasing 18.5-metres.
Mark Yole
Yole was able to score one win for the home state when he scored on the Paul Hill trained Streitkid.
Giving the gelded son of American Ideal a beautiful run one-out and two-back before proving too good for his rivals late in an action-packed affair with the favourite losing its driver at a vital stage.
Yole did the home state proud finishing in second spot.
Darby McGuigan
The Victorian reinsman was one of the youngest drivers in the field and he proved to Tasmanians that he has a bright future in the sport on Saturday night.
He scored in Heat Two on Cool Water Paddy, admiringly McGuigan’s job was made easy by drawing the short price favourite but the boy from Ballarat summed the race up well in the early stages to record the geldings sixth career win.
The Shallows
Driven by South Australia’s Ken Rogers who produced a brilliant drive on the Heath Woods trained gelding.
Rogers quickly got the gelding off the inside before improving out three-wide for a lap to travel. The South Aussie put the foot to the floor at the 600-metre mark and the gelded son of Shadyshark Hanover was able to do the rest over the concluding stages to record another win.
Star Chamber
The win in the final race of the night, unfortunately, didn’t earn Queensland’s Pete McMullen any points as the race wasn’t apart of the series, but after some bad luck earlier in the night he was able to take home a winner aboard 2014 Tasmania Cup winner Star Chamber.
McMullen smoked the pipe back in the field with a solid tempo set by Full Speed Ahead throughout and McMullen was able to sprint over the top of his rivals late to score by 9.4-metres.
Multiple Winners
Hobart - Saturday evening
Gary Hall Jnr - driving double; Iden Forest and Koolaz Elvis.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.
Hobart - Saturday evening
Koolaz Elvis 57.10s, Frankie Falzoni 57.40s, Im Jaks Teller 54.47s, Quick Changeover 57.63s and Border Cross 57.63s.
View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.
Tasracing Official Price
Hobart - Saturday evening
Hit’s: Iden Forest $4.60 into $3.80 and Koolaz Elvis $19 into $11.
Defied The Drift: Wandary Muscat $3.30 out to $3.80, Gipsy Treasure $2.45 out to $2.80 and The Shallows $2.00 out to $2.50
Missed: Blue Eyed Creation $7.00 into $3.00.
Trial File
Carrick Park - Monday evening
The Shelley Barnes trained mare Volkova Leis was the only horse at the session to record a mile rate quicker than 2m 6.0s when she recorded 2m 3.5s when winning her rating 64 or better trial over 2150-meters.
Natalee Emery took the reins in the trials where they defeated Cardinal Spec by four-metres with Denstown a further three metres away third.
Volkova Leis hadn’t been seen since running tenth on 20 October and used Monday’s trial in preparation for her engagement in Sunday nights Shirley Martin Mother Of Pearl which is the Launceston Pacing Club’s premier mares race.
The Carrick Park trial session also seen the first two-year-old’s go around this season with East Devonport trainer Paul Ashwood taking three runners.
They were defeated a half head by trotter Stuey D who finished in front of Yeah Mate, Shaun To The Max and Who Said You Said in a mile rate of 2m 9.1s for 1670-metres.
Other winners included; Buster William (2m 9.8s), Machitelli (2m 8.4s), Bobbi Direct (2m 9.0s), A Spanish Dance (2m 6.1s), Racene (2m 6.1s)and Bongiorno Boys (2m 8.3s).
Week Ahead
The Devonport Showgrounds is the venue for Friday night racing with a six-race card commencing at 18:00.
Once again trainer Ben Yole will play a strong hand at the meeting.
Launceston on Sunday features the running of Doug Martin Danbury Park Cup.
The time-honoured event was first held in 1921.
This years field sees Illegal Immigrant and Izaha share a 20-metre handicap with the only other handicapped runners being Sea Double Ugrant and Black Centurian who share the 10-metre line.
The front row sees inform pacers Koolaz Elvis and Yatsenyuk Leis along with Blackbird Power who features in everyone’s black book on a regular basis.
The first of eight-races commences at the later start for a Sunday twilight meeting of 18:23.
Interstate this week at metropolitan venues some of our Tasmanian representatives include:
Melton - Friday Night
Race 8 Horse 8 Blingittothemax.
Menangle - Saturday night
Race 4 Horse 5 Scooterwillrev and
Race 6 Horse 3 Harjeet
