Lis Mara four year old wins again

Winton trained harness racing mare Tact Maggie is finally starting to live up to the reputation she had early in her short career.

The Lis Mara four year old showed sparkling form at some of her workouts and trials early this season but hasn't been particularly consistent on race days

Trainer Trevor Proctor said after today’s (Saturday) win – the second in a row for Tact Maggie – that it wasn’t until regular driver Brent Barclay told him to increase her workload that she improved.

“After two or three races Brent made the comment to me that she was short (of work) so I poked a bit more work into her and bang. I also took the Murphy blind off her that was just to keep her straight. She hasn’t missed that. I was surprised she sprinted up the lane as good as she did today. She’s a big beautiful pacing mare. When you bring her out it’s nothing fantastic. She doesn’t have real speed like her mother had,” said Proctor.

Her early season workout and trials form has also caught the eye of Australian buyers and normally Proctor is a seller.

“I had her for sale. Amanda Turnbull trialed her. She was getting a team together to buy her but I haven’t heard back. At this stage we’re happy enough to race her and breed from her next season.”

Returning to the winners enclosure – Photo Bruce Stewart.

Out of the ten win mare Tact Lizzie, Tact Maggie was having only her sixth race day start today.

“Because she was a big horse it never entered my head to even race her because no-one pays me to do this. I wasn’t in a hurry to race her.”

From barrier two driver Sheree Tomlinson took the mare forward early before handing up to Varenna and settling nicely in the trail.

“Today Sheree said she relaxed all the way. During the week Chelsea Faithful drove her (in work) and said she was a different horse from the week before.”

In some of her previous starts she was tried in front.

“The day we tried to pull her back at the workouts she was taking it on. She broke and lost thirty to fifty metres but finished right in behind them running her last mile in two minutes with the last half in fifty six. When Brent said I wasn’t giving her enough, I thought you’ve got to be joking but he was right.”

Proctor says Tact Maggie is likely to start on her home track at Winton before running her season out on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park. 

Meanwhile evergreen pacer Groomsman won his ninth race in his one hundred and twenty one start career when he held on to beat Vera's Delight in the Regent Car and Commercial 125 North Road Pace.  

Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness racing

Tact Maggie winning at Ascot park