Watchmylips ready to shine

Four-year-old gelding Watchmylips returns to the track for the first time since early March in Hobart on Sunday evening.

The gelded son of Hes Watching lines up in the Nutrien Sprint Lane Pace, a rating 65 to 79 event over 2090 metres, the pacers first start back in Tasmania since a Launceston win in late January before embarking on a Victorian campaign.

Watchmylips was prepared for his two-run preparation by Kate Hargreaves.

After the pacers’ disappointing last start effort at Melton, she reported to stewards that the gelding had recovered satisfactorily and that the pacer would now be exiting her stable and returning to Tasmania for a possible spell.

And that is what connections did, with trainer Rodney Ashwood producing the pacer in two recent Hobart trials.

The pacers first trial back was on 2 August, where he defeated his only rival Resurgent Storm in a standing start trial by 5.8 metres, before defeating open class pacer Offthetopofmyhead in another standing start trial by 3.3 metres on 16 August, with Watchmylips coming from last at the 400-metre point to score in a 27.7s final quarter.

Watchmylips, who is yet to miss a top three finish in five Hobart starts, will begin from barrier two with master reinsman Ricky Duggan in the sulky. His main dangers are consistent pacer Montana Lad, last weeks discretionary handicap runner-up Earl Jujon, and recent Hobart winner Murry.

The Rodney Ashwood stable has many chances throughout the Hobart card, including Reginald in race one, with the two-year-old going into the race on the back of a half-head trial win on 16 August.

While last start Maryborough winner Roquefort Cheese will step out in the state for the first time in race seven.

Ashwood also has many good drives on the card, including the Kristy Butler-trained Something Bettor in race four, and last-start winner Yorkshire in the free-for-all, which is race six of the night

The Hobart card commences at 17:12, with races one and two on Sky Racing 2, with the last eight races on the program to be televised on Sky Racing 1.

By Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing