Ford hoping to Rackemup in Tasmania Cup

The Group 1 Ladbrokes Tasmania Cup is the pinnacle of Tasmanian harness racing, and it is a race that all in the island state would like to win, including young reinsman Mitch Ford who will take the reins on Victorian-trained Rackemup Tigerpie (Rock N Roll Heaven) in Saturday night’s (Mar. 18) $150,000 event in Hobart.

Ford won the Tasmanian drivers’ premiership last season, which was his first full season of race driving and is rapt to be contesting his first Group 1 event on the Ian Stanley prepared pacer.

“It’s a great drive to pick,” said Ford.

“Ian Stanley sent the horse down four weeks ago and Nathan (Mitch’s brother) was suspended, and Ian rang and asked if I could drive him in the heat and they have decided to keep me on for the final.”

Ford drove the eight-year-old gelding in the opening heat, finishing the race off strongly to finish second behind Check In.

“I was very impressed with his heat run.

“To come from behind and run the sectionals that he did, I couldn’t have been more happier with him,” explained Ford.

Rackemup Tigerpie opened up as a $17 chance on Wednesday and has been backed into $10 on race morning, and Ford admits the 20m handicap in the 2579-metre event will be challenging.

“There seems to be a bit of speed early off the front line, so it’s going to make it hard for us off 20 and 30 metres to get into it.

“I think the best horse in the race is Wheres The Gold, but there are a few nice horses in the race, and it will depend on who does and does not step,” the driver said.

Wheres The Gold, prepared by Emma Stewart, is the short price favourite at $1.65 and will likely start as the shortest-price favourite since Major Secret, also prepared by Stewart, who scored in 2017 as the $1.30 favourite, which was the last time the race was a mobile start affair.

Favourites do not have the best record in the race since it reverted back to a standing start in 2019, with Sicario (10th, galloped out), Willie Go West (13th, galloped out) and Im Off N Gone (7th).

The only favourite to win since the race moved back to a stand was Ryley Major in 2020.

The Tasmania Cup is set down for 21:04 and can be seen on Sky Racing 1 with extended coverage on Sky Racing Active and TasracingTV.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing