Stewart claims fourth Derby win this season

The 2023 season has been one of Derbies for Victorian harness racing trainer Emma Stewart.

She has won the Victorian, Queensland and South Australian Derbies and won her fourth Derby of the season when Celebrity Royal (Sweet Lou) ($1.24 fav) proved best to take out the Group 3 Tasmanian Horse Transport Tasmanian Derby (2579m) in Hobart on Saturday night.

Driver Allan McDonough restrained the Sweet Lou gelding from a wide front-row draw to settle one-out and two-back before improving into the race three-wide from the 1900m to find the lead near the 1500m.

The gelding had to dig deep late to hold off Nyack ($6.50) by 1.6m, who used the sprint lane, and De Goey ($6.50), who raced outside the leader for the majority of the race, a further 5.2m away third in a mile rating of 1m 59.5s.

“It probably wasn’t the best drive. I didn’t want to be in front, but we did all the work to get around them mid-race, and once he got left in front he got looking around.

“On the turn, he was still travelling alright, and to his credit, he fought on well (when challenged in the straight),” McDonough said post-race.

The Sweet Lou gelding was only having his fourth career start, and McDonough expected the pacer would contest the Breeders Crown heats at Bendigo on Saturday night.

“He is nominated for it, and I’m sure he will head to it as long as he pulls up well and handles the boat trip home.

Tasmanian Oaks

Paradise Valley (Sweet Lou) made light work of her opposition when leading all the way to take out the Tasmanian Oaks (2090m).

Sent out as the $1.30 favourite, trainer-driver Allan McDonough had to drive the daughter of Sweet Lou out of the gate hard from her pole draw to hold the early lead.

McDonough let the filly go at the 500m, where she raced away to score by 19.8m over Scarlet Place ($101) and Millies Creation ($12) in 1:58.1s.

“She wasn’t that brilliant out of the gate, but once she was able to hold her own, she did it pretty easy.

“You don’t win many Oaks that easy,” said McDonough post-race.

The filly was having her first start since joining McDonough’s care after being trained by Amy Cargill, who recently left Victoria to return home to Queensland, with connections opting to leave the pacer in Victoria, where she will be chasing more feature race success.

“She will head home now and get ready for the Breeders Crown heats on Friday (at Ballarat), the trainer-driver said.

Leis family claim first Evicus

It’s hard to believe, with the many nice horses that Smithton-based owner-breeders Trevor and Marjorie Leis have been involved in with their long involvement in the sport, that the win of Swiatek Leis (Vincent) ($3.50) was only their second Tasbred Final win in the Evicus Final (1609m).

Trained and driven by Todd Rattray, the Vincent filly pushed through from her second-row draw to race outside the leader before ending up one out and one back at the 950m.

Rattray put the filly into clear racing room at the 500m, where she went on to win by a head over Chenin Beach ($2.10 fav) with Tambros Tilly ($9.00) a further 9.1m away third in a time of 1:59.5s for the mile trip.

“We just followed the favourite (Chenin Beach) out and got caught in the breeze for a bit, but we got cover.

“She has got good speed, but it’s her manners that probably let her down now and then.

“I think she will be better next year. She is very green, and she is a big filly, so she will probably head to the paddock now,” said Rattray post-race.

For complete race results, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing