Star Chamber claims second Hobart Pacing Cup

04 January 2021 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
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Star Chamber caused an upset win in Sunday nights Listed Ladbrokes Hobart Pacing Cup.

Sent out as a $41 chance, the Bianca Heenan-trained 12-year-old gelding was able to fly home along the sprint lane to defeat short price favourite, Ryley Major, by 1.5 metres, with Call Me Hector a further 5.7 metres away third in a mile rate of 2m 0.1s for the 2579-metre trip.

Trainer Bianca Heenan was thrilled with the result of the pacer who is closing in on $300,000 in prizemoney after his 25th career win.

“I am extremely rapt with the old bugger tonight,” said Hennan.

“He just had a bit more willpower to win at the end,” added the winning trainer.

From the wide draw, Dylan Ford pressed forward on the veteran pacer to race outside the leader before pushing forward to take up the lead at the 2000-metre mark before handing up the lead to Ryley Major.

Ford then drove a patient race before using the spine lane in the home straight.

“It was an excellent drive by Dylan, and he had to make a few snap decisions,”

It was the second Hobart Pacing Cup win for Star Chamber who won the race in 2015.

“I was pregnant with my oldest child Alec that year, and it is good to have both kids here tonight and enjoy it with them,” explained Heenan.

The next major harness race in the Ladbrokes Tasmanian Summer of Racing is the Devonport Pacing Cup on Sunday week, with the trainer yet to decide whether she goes to the $30,000 event.

“I will see how he pulls up after tonight and go from there, as he did get quite crook after his last start and I have had to nurse him back for tonight,” she said.

An emotional Dylan Ford admitted he did panic mid-race when he was caught outside the leader.

“I panicked, it was never in the equation to go forward, when I got stuck outside the leader, I hit panic mode and once I saw Smiley put on the breaks, I knew Ryley Major was going to find the front, so I decided to go forward and try get the run on his back,”

Ford made it a driving double on the card when Belle Of Brooklyn scored at her Tasmanian debut in the Crown Lager Pace.

The six-year-old mare is prepared by Ford’s mother, Tammy Langley

 

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