Tasmanian Harness Highlights

It was a big week of harness racing in Tasmania which virtually saw two Tier 1 meetings held in Launceston on Sunday and then in Hobart on Monday where there were numerous highlights across both meetings with a number of contenders for our stars section, unfortunately having to miss out.

Tonight we head to Launceston for the Harry Holgate Memorial, then to King Island for the last meeting of their summer season on Saturday and then we go to Burnie on Sunday for their cup meeting.

The Stars

James Dean – once a former emergency for the New Zealand Cup, the seven-year-old gelding was able to claim Monday’s New Norfolk Pacing Cup in Hobart to cap off a good weekend for trainer Ben Yole and driver Troy McDonald.

Ignatius – has been nominated for Saturday week’s Group 1 A. G. Hunter Cup after a brilliant win in the Toreace Flying Mile where he raced wide over the final lap in 1m 54.7s.

Crook and Hillier – claimed two of the four $12,000 features on Monday, they combined with Gone And Forgotten in the Matron Stakes and then with Lord Stark in the E. C. Plunkett Memorial.

Denwen Dancer – the three-year-old colt finally did everything right on Sunday night to break his maiden status in Launceston on Sunday for trainer Mark Regett, with the win a part of a driving double for Mark Yole.

Multiple Winners

Launceston – Sunday evening
Ben Yole – training treble; Shestryingtactics, Postal Run and Somedan,
Mark Yole – driving double; Denwen Dancer and Postal Run,
Hannah Van Dongen – driving double ; Albayzin and Somedan.

Hobart – Monday evening
Rohan Hillier – driving treble; Gone And Forgotten, Lord Stark and Heza Sport,
Ben Yole – training double; Brian Who and James Dean,
Conor Crook – training double; Gone And Forgotten and Lord Stark.

Calculated Sectional Standouts

Launceston – Sunday evening
Albayzin 57.20s, Christian Jaz 57.38s, Iylac Beach 57.50, Tarleton Riley 57.73s and Heza Rummage 57.73s.

Hobart – Monday evening
Ignatius 55.78s, No Spring Secrets 56.16s, Ryley Major 56.26s, Star Chamber 56.66s, Heza Sport 57.13s and Brian Who 57.27s.

View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.

Tasracing Official Price

Launceston – Sunday evening
Hit’s: Shestryingtactics $15 into $7.00, Albayzin $7.00 into $4.80 and Somedan $7.00 into $4.40.

Defied The Drift: Rockandahardplace $3.10 out to $4.00.

Missed: Keep Playing $3.90 into $3.50, Machbev $4.00 into $3.30, Vladimir Hall $26 into $11, Kadar $2.90 into $1.90, Emjays Black Chip $14 into $9.50, Live For Peace $8.00 into $6.00 and Proficient $8.00 into $5.00.

Hobart – Monday evening
Hit’s: Ignatius $2.45 into $2.30 and James Dean $12 into $7.50.

Defied The Drift: Brian Who $41 out to $61, Gone and Forgotten $3.10 out to $3.70, Lord Stark $7.00 out to $16, Heza Sport $3.80 out to $4.40.

Missed: The Deal $7.50 into $5.50, Chris Be Quick $10 into $6.00, Arakbell $7.50 into $6.50, Somehowsomeway $7.00 into $5.50, Laid Back Kenny $9.00 into $6.50 and Got The Goods $18 into $9.50.

Trial File

Carrick Park – Saturday morning
Two trials were held on Saturday morning with both winners prepared by Geoff Smith.

Im Quite American was able to lead from barrier three in the 1609-metre trial and was able to hold of a challenge by Impulsive George by a half-neck in 2m 4.5s.

In trial two, Im Rock Solid was kept out of the early speed battle before working to the lead at the 750-metre mark. From there, the Pet Rock gelding was untroubled to score in a mile rate of 2m 3.3s for 2150 metres.

Launceston – Sunday afternoon
A standing start trial over 1680 metres was held before Sundays meeting with the Ben Yole-trained Earl Jujon scoring in a mile rate 2m 0.9s.

Driver Mark Yole positioned the eight-year-gelding three-back the marker pegs before cruising to a 16.5-metre victory over his two stablemates.

Hobart – Monday afternoon
Two trials were staged before Mondays meeting.

The Ben Yole-trained Evies Dressmaker used the pole draw to full advantage in the 34 to 50 rating trial to lead all the way over the mile trip and score by 7.6 metres over Hesnoprince in 2m 0.1s.

Trial two was for pacers rated between 51 to 62 over the mile trip where Missin Rock led all the way to score in 2m 0.9s for the mile trip to score by 11.5 metres to defeat Our Quinn who was driven by Tiarna Ford who was having her first trial drive.

You can view the trials held on mainland Tasmania by clicking here.

Week Ahead

Tonight the Launceston Pacing Club stage an eight-race card commencing from 18:03.

The $12,000 Harry Holgate Memorial Final is the feature on the card.

Heat winner Rockandahardplace has drawn barrier five as he aims for a winning hat-trick while the other heat winner Postal Run has drawn barrier seven.

The Launceston card will be televised on TasracingTV and Sky Racing 2.

On Saturday the King Island Racing Club stage their last meeting for the season with two harness events to be staged.

It has been a stellar season for Karalta Kruise, trainer John Rhodes, and driver Wade Rattray and they will be hoping to end the season off on a winning note in the Tasfast Airfreight Stakes.

There is no off-track broadcast of the meeting with replays available on tasracing.com.au soon after the event.

Sunday it is the Burnie Harness Racing Club’s feature meeting where the 7BU Burnie Cup is the main race on the six-race card.

The race has attracted an even field over the 2589-metre journey.

TasracingTV will live host the meeting while Sky Racing 2 will televise the first four races and Sky Racing 1 will show the last two races.

Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing