Junior drivers to the fore at Launceston

In what is becoming the new normal on the Tasmanian harness racing scene, the junior drivers again found the winners list in Launceston on Friday night, winning six of the seven races.

Malcom Jones recorded his first driving double on the card. Jones picked up the drive on the Brent Parish-trained Boston Busker (Tintin In America) after Liam Older was indisposed.

From outside of the second row, the five-year-old gelding was positioned one-out and six-back before racing three-wide for the final 1100m.

The pacer had to pull out all stops late to grab Im Rock Solid right on the line with only a short-half-head between them.

It was the fourth win for the season for Boston Busker, who has found a purple patch of form in recent weeks.

While Jones was the punter’s friend with Boston Busker’s win at $2.60, he quickly went out of their good books when scoring with His Dream Lives On (Four Starzzz Shark), who scored at $26 in the first leg of the quaddie.

From barrier six over the 1680m, Jones was able to slot into the one-out three-back position before dropping to be four-back the pegs at the bell.

Jones drove for luck and was able to weave a clear path in the home straight to run down Aussie Rock in the final few strides.

Mitch Ford continued to close the gap on Conor Crook on the state driving title with another double.

He guided Lifeofbrian (Mach Three) and Deadly Assassin (Courage Under Fire) to victory, both of which were trained by Ben Yole.

Yole ended the night with four winners with Guido Da Siena (Art Major) (Bronte Miller) and Velocity Stride (Mach Three) (Rohan Hillier).

Reinsman Lachlan Dakin and trainer Robert Richards both ended a run of outs when they teamed up Softly Softly to record his second career win at start 21.

Meanwhile, Scottsdale’s Georgia Hayward tasted her first winner in Victoria at Maryborough when driving Mr Bohannon to victory for trainer Andy Gath.

Hayward has been in Victoria in recent years to develop her career further.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing