60 starters and all the winners at Launceston

Tasmanian harness racing trainer Ben Yole is well on his way to claiming his second Australian Trainers’ Premiership, and he extended his lead when winning every race on Sunday night’s Launceston card.

Yole was well represented on the program with 60 starters, winning the eight races along with seven second placings and five thirds.

“It is something we thought we couldn’t achieve, but we have been close a couple of times, so to do it is a huge thrill,” said Yole post-race.

Yole winners were; Keep Playing (driven by Charlie Castles), Tee Jay Cee (Shane Edyvean), Cinocal Jamane (Gareth Rattray), Forgone Conclusion (Mark Yole), Spot On (Rohan Hillier), We Salute You (Rohan Hillier), My Celebrity (Gareth Rattray) and Machs Mareta (Jacob Duggan).

Despite his numbers, Yole wasn’t confident of training the card going into the meeting.

“I was keen on the first two races and the last couple, but there were a few races in the middle were I thought we may have been in a bit of trouble, but things went our way,” said Yole.

A lot of runners means a lot of work, which was shared by 10 staff at the race meeting with five trucks and three floats used to get his runners to the Ladbrokes Racing Centre in Mowbray.

“We can’t do it without the staff, the effort everyone at the stables puts in everyday is terrific.

“To race two days in a row, and some with limited sleep to back up again and to put in another big performance tonight is a sensational effort”, explained Yole.

The only other participant to train the card in Tasmania was Frank Powell in 1919 at Queenstown, which was only a five-race program.

Nationally, the last trainer to train the card was Shayne Cramp at Mildura, when he won all eight races in July 2014.

Yole’s previous best at a single meeting was on 6 August, when he trained seven of the eight winners in Hobart.

The best performance by a trainer on Tasmania soil was Victoria’s Emma Stewart, who trained nine of the 10 winners on Easter Cup night in April this year.

Sunday’s Launceston program was delayed after the first race while the Tasmanian Fire Service attended a blaze that broke out on level two of the grandstand, with the circumstances currently being investigated.

The wait was worth it for former New South Wales based drive Shane Edyvean, who drove his first winner aboard Tee Jay Cee, who paid upwards of $101.

“It’s a huge thrill.

“He flew the gate well and travelled nice and got home good,” said the winning driver.

Edyvean, 35, has been driving for two years and had been getting limited opportunities before taking up a position with the Yole stable.

For complete race results and replays, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing