Victorian couple launch Tassie raid

Dedicated central Victorian trainer Tayla Fellows has made a promising start to a month-long Tasmanian campaign.

Fellows, who is based at Bendigo, has taken a team of four across Bass Strait with her partner Dylan Marshall, with their sights firmly set on the Group 3 $60,000 Raider Stakes Final at Launceston on July 20 with talented pacer Do It (Always B Miki).

“Dylan is originally from Tassie so he’s enjoying a trip back home to catch up with family,” Tayla said.

“He’s only had a handful of drives over the past few seasons, but he drove three of our four runners at our first meeting at Launceston last Friday night,” she said.

“While the two girls Malava Miss and Manfredi didn’t do much, Do It ran second and was terrific. I was a bit worried when Dylan took off and worked forward in the middle stages, but it turned out okay.”

The team also picked up another second placing on the night with Martha Lavinia, driven by young reinsman Liam Older.

Fellows said it was the stable’s first time taking horses to the Apple Isle, and she was relieved with how the trip unfolded.

“The horses stayed in our float for the boat trip over. Dylan and I were in a cabin but I was nervous as to how the horses would cope with the 12-hour trip. They all seemed to travel well, though,” she said.

“Luckily it was really smooth as apparently the next two nights were really rough so we were pretty lucky. We’re staying at Shelley Barnes’ place, and the horses just love the grassy paddocks.

“Shelley actually bred Do It and he was sold at the Tasmanian yearling sales, so it was a sort of a homecoming for him. The horses all wandered around and settled in very quickly.”

Since joining Fellows’ barn last year, the four-year-old gelding has developed into a handy racehorse, winning three races from his eight career starts, two of them in succession.

“He’s the best one we’ve had for a while. Dylan was happy with the way he handled the track so we’re looking forward to the Raider Stakes heats and final, which we picked out months ago,” Fellows said.

“This is the Tassie version of our VicBred series and Do It is owned by a group of Tasmanians along with Andrew Hawker, who lives in Bendigo.”

Marshall left Tasmania 16 years ago and now operates a diesel mechanic business in Bendigo, while playing “back-up harness racing driver” for his partner on occasion.

And while he handled Do It first-up, Fellows said Dylan would now make way for one of the pacer’s regular drivers.

“Either Jack Laugher or Alby Ashwood will drive him in the heat and final – it was always the plan and Dylan’s all good with that,” she laughed.

Ironically, Tasmania has turned on some fine winter weather so far.

“When we left Bendigo last Saturday week it was foggy with a top temperature of about six!”

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink