Braun takes charge is Tassie again

Victorian trainer Dean Braun and reinsman Chris Alford claimed another Tasmanian harness racing feature on Sunday afternoon when they combined with Holy Basil, who took out the 2022 Page Transport Carrick Cup.

Sent out as the $1.24 favourite on the Tasracing Official Price, Holy Basil stepped cleanly in the 2650m standing start race to lead.

Alford was able to dictate affairs on the Changeover gelding, and although the favourite looked like he may have been in a little bit of trouble for a split second around the home bend, before dashing away in the home straight to record an easy victory by 2 1/2m over Rocks Roy, who sat behind the leader, with Kuyomi, who was also taking the peg runs a further 7.3m away third in 2m 3.0s.

The win took Holy Basil’s record to seven wins from eight career starts.

Braun indicated pre-race that Holy Basil was being aimed at Sunday’s second heat of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Tasmania Cup, and if he finishes in the top seven placings there, he will progress to the $100,000 Final on 19 March.

Holy Basil is raced by Pauline McColgan from Victoria, and former State League footballer Todd Struthers, who still resides in the state.

Another highlight on the Carrick Park card was the Bramich Bulldozing Trainers Incentive Final, where the winning trainer won a Missile Race Sulky valued at $7,000.

The race is restricted to trainers who prepared 10 or less wins last season and is for horses who had won less than $25,000 in stakes.

The race was won by the Clayton Miller prepared Syzate, who raced wide for the final circuit, with Clayton’s daughter Bronte taking the drive on the four-year-old mare.

The meeting also saw the first two-year-old race of the year take place, which was won by the Steve Lukac trained, Nathan Ford driven Heres Henry, who showed good manners to lead all the way and score by 2 1/2m.

The Lincoln Royal colt is owned and bred by Greg West, who collected his $12,000 Tasbred bonus with the victory.

By Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing