Tasmanian harness highlights

It was a big Sunday night for Ben Yole in Devonport.

Yole prepared five winners on the 10-race card, but the win of Captain Cosmonaut gave the Sidmouth-based trainer his 1000th career winner joining Barrie Rattray and Neville Webberley as the only trainers to reach four figures in the state from available records.

This week we have two meetings with Launceston on Friday and Hobart on Sunday, and as always there is strong Tasmanian interest interstate.

The Stars

Ben Yole – as mentioned, he had a great night at the office with five winners, including the $12,000 Ulverstone Cup with Earl Jujon who outstayed his rivals racing outside the leader for a large portion of the 2645-metre trip.

Montana Storm – led home a quinella for trainer Rohan Hillier in the $12,000 Max McCormack. The duo was first-up in Australia from being purchased out of New Zealand several weeks ago, and both pacers look to have a bright future.

Jordan Chibnall – continued her excellent form with another driving treble on Sunday to take her season total in Tasmania to 10 wins, which places her equal first with Bronte Miller at the top of the states Junior Driver Premiership.

Iden Gorgeous – notched up back-to-back wins with an all the way win in a 30 to 49 rated event. The success continued a great run for prominent owner-breeder Elliott Booth.

Geoff Smith – teamed up with reinsman Mark Yole to continue their great run with a double on the Devonport card with Aitutaki and Peppercorn Sam, both runners defied a betting drift.

Multiple Winners

Devonport – Sunday evening
Ben Yole – training quintet; Somedan, Earl Jujon, Captain Cosmonaut, Montana Lad and My Ultimate Romeo,
Jordan Chibnall – driving treble; Somedan, Captain Cosmonaut and My Ultimate Romeo,
Geoff Smith – training double; Aitutaki and Peppercorn Sam,
Mark Yole – driving double; Aitutaki and Peppercorn Sam,
Conor Crook – driving double; Iden Gorgeous and Montana Storm.

Tasracing Calculated Sectionals

Devonport – Sunday evening
Be Major Threat 57.25s, Hez The One 57.37s, Finn Mac Kee 57.46s, Earl Jujon 57.9s and Captain Cosmonaut 57.50s.

View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.

Tasracing Official Price

Devonport – Sunday evening
Hit’s: Iden Gorgeous $1.40 into $1.28, Montana Jet $2.30 into $1.80, Somedan $7.00 into $6.50, Earl Jujon $6.50 into $5.50 and My Ultimate Romeo $6.00 into $5.50.

Defied The Drift: Boulder City $4.00 out to $4.80, Aitutaki $7.00 out to $11, Captain Cosmonaut $2.70 out to $3.30, Montana Lad $3.40 out to $4.20 and Peppercorn Sam $3.70 out to $4.40.

Missed: Major Davvin $10 into $5.00, Aitutaki $7.00 out to $11, Im Rock Solid $3.10 into $2.70, Southern Gnp $20 into $13, Pink Ponder $9.00 into $6.50, Be Major Threat $3.70 into $3.40, Tarleton Riley $4.30 into $2.80, Mondooley Mach $4.20 into $3.40, Lord Bazalup $7.00 into $5.00 and Oneofthelads $5.00 into $3.40.

Trial File

Carrick Park – Saturday morning
Three-year-old Roll With Joe gelding Outlaw Joe was an impressive winner of his 48 to 52 trial with ease after scoring by a considerable margin.

The Ben Yole pacer has only had two starts, where he ruined his chances by galloping on both occasions, but the pacer took a liking to the spacious surrounds of Carrick to score in 2m 1.1s.

Driver Troy McDonald settled the pacer four back the pegs before leading up the running line over the final 900 metres to score hard held.

Other winners included; Rocknroll Wizard (2m 7.2s), Loyola Trios (2m 3.0s), and Full Speed Ahead (2m 1.6s).

Hobart – Monday evening
Bettors Delight mare Say A Prayer recorded the quickest winning mile rate of the season when scoring in a standing start trial over the mile trip.

Prepared by Brighton trainer Tammy Langley, young driver Ryan Backhouse was able to get the mare away well from outside of the front row to lead and dictate affairs in front to score in the trial by 3.4 metres in a mile rate of 2m 4.4s.

Remaining trials were won by; Reginald (2m 4.9s), Telmax Nikita (2m 7.4s) and Nobeer Nomore (2m 4.7s).

Week Ahead

Friday: Harness racing returns to Launceston for a Tier Two meeting, that will be televised on Sky Racing 2 and TasracingTV.

Saturday: Tasmanian owned and trained pacer Cool Water Paddy will line up at Melton in the opening race on the program.

Chris Alford has been booked for the drive, where the pacer will start from barrier two on the second line in the opening race at 16:58.

There is Tasmanian interest in the Blossom Lady for the 70 to 99 rated mares with Belle Of Brooklyn and Still Hungover engaged.

Sunday: The Tasmanian Trotting Club stages a nine-race card where Yorkshire returns to the state after some strong interstate form since his fourth placing in the Easter Cup in the nights fast class race.

The former Victorian has joined the stables of Juanita McKenzie.

Race one on Sunday is set down for 17:07 and can be seen on Sky Racing 1 and TasracingTV.

Monday: Trials will be held in both Hobart and Devonport from 17:30.