Show Cup starts path to Golden Apple

The road to the Tassie Golden Apple commences in Launceston on Sunday night, with the running of the $20,000 Tasmanian Horse Transport Show Cup, a standing start harness racing race over 2200m.

The Golden Apple commences with heats on 26 November before the $50,000 Final on 1 December, and the Show Cup is one of five open-class standing start races before then.

Leading trainer Ben Yole is represented by four runners in the race, including former Victorian Villacci (Modern Art).

Villaacci is a winner of 14 races, three of which have been at metropolitan level.

The gelding arrived in the Ben Yole stable in September and has won two of three races in the state.

“I’m very happy with the horse, and he has been working good,” said Yole.

Sunday’s race will be the first standing start race for the gelding.

“Tim (Yole) drove him when he qualified from the stand at the Carrick trials last Saturday, and he stepped safe.

“He just had a quiet trial after that and finished hard on their backs.

“I think he will step quick, we stood him up on Thursday with his fast work, and he seems a very sensible horse,” explained Yole.

“If he steps well and if he can settle in the first four, I give him a good chance,” said Ben, who has his brother booked for the drive.

Check In will be driven by Charlie Castles, and the pacer won a heat of the Tasmania Cup earlier this year.

He will start off a 10m handicap in the Show Cup with the gelding being first up since late July.

“I’m rapt with him.

“His trial was really good, and his work on Thursday was super, and I think he is right back on track at his best.

“He will probably need one run back at that grade, and the 10 metres probably pulls him up with the rest.

“Tucked away, he could be dangerous late,” said Yole.

Other runners in the race from the Yole stable include last-start winner Puntarno Stride, who will be driven by Nathan Ford.

“He ran third in a Tassie Cup last year.

“He is back to good form now, and if he steps ok, he will be thereabouts. He just lacks that bit of high speed late,” said Yole.

Yole is also represented in the race by Arden Roanoke, who is one of the outsiders in pre-post markets.

Yole expects the Rohan Hillier-trained and driven Jimmy The Irishman and the Troy Hillier-trained and driven Huli Nien as the hardest to beat.

“They are the two to beat.

“I think Huli Nien is in really well at the handicaps. He has won a number of metropolitan races.

“Whether he will go away from the stand is questionable.

“Jimmy The Irishman is a lovely and proven horse in standing start races,” said Yole.

The Tasmanian Horse Transport Show Cup is race five on a nine-race card, with the first race set down for 17:12.

TasracingTV will televise the meeting, while at the time of writing, race one will be shown on Sky Racing 2, with the remaining races on Sky Racing 1.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing