11-year-old gelding Star Chamber has won many feature races on the Tasmanian harness racing calendar, but one race that is missing off the veteran pacers resume is the Tasmanian Trotting Club Elite Free For All, and he will have another chance in the race when he contests the 2020 edition tonight at Ladbrokes Park Hobart.
The Bianca Heenan-trained pacer has drawn out in barrier six in the 2090 metre event and connections are unsure on what they will tell driver Zeke Slater in the early stages.
“He hasn’t drawn the best, but he doesn’t know that, I’m in two minds at the moment as what to do early,” said Heenan ahead of tonight’s race.
The winner of in excess of $250,000 in prize money has been placed behind Ryley Major in his last two outings.
Two starts ago he flashed home late to be defeated 2.6 metres in the Toreace Flying Mile where he recorded the second quickest last half of the meeting on the Tasracing Calculated Sectionals in 56.93s before finishing 8.8 metres behind Ryley Major and Izaha in the Hobart Pacing Cup where once again his last half was solid in 56.84s, the third quickest of the meeting.
“I’m extremely happy with his last few starts behind the best in Tassie, at 11 years young, he is more than competitive and is certainly loving racing at present.
His rivals tonight include Call Me Hector who ran a brave race in the Metropolitan Cup behind Ryley Major last start, the Victorian trained Smart Little Shard from the John Nicholson stable who will contest his first mobile start race since arriving in the state, Carrick Park Cup placegetter Chasing Cheetahs and Blackbird Power who will be trying to make the most of his pole draw in an open race.
Star Chamber, a past winner of the Tasmania Cup in 2014, will be aimed at the race for the fifth time in his career with the gelded son to contest a heat on either 1 or 8 March and then hopefully on to the $75,000 Final on Saturday night 14 March.
“Honestly we have to have a crack at the Tassie cup making it the fifth time that he would run in the race which is a milestone within itself,” said Heenan.
Heenan also prepares Drifting Away in race four, the pacer will be driven by Matthew Cooper and they have an awkward draw outside of the front row to overcome in the rating 66 to 79 Pace.
“We have just got to go back and hope for a bit of speed early which may suit him,” said the Brighton based trainer about the winner of 19 races who has opened a $51.00 chance in markets yesterday.
Tonight’s seven-event Hobart card commences at 17:56 with all races to be shown on TasracingTV and Sky Racing 2.
