Joy over Hobart debut
TASMANIAN-BRED filly Sebring’s Joy made quite an impression in Hobart on Sunday when she gave a handy field of Class 1 performers a galloping lesson over 1200m.
The John Blacker-trained three-year-old was having her first start in the state after spending the first 15 months of her racing career in the care of Darren Weir in Victoria, for whom she had seven starts for a win and two minor placings on country tracks.
Sebring’s Joy was well backed to start the $3.30 favourite and despite travelling three-wide from the start to the home turn, she made the task look easy by sprinting clear of her rivals in the home straight to score by 3.5 lengths with apprentice Hayley McCarthy aboard.
“You don’t get more impressive Class 1 wins than that but I guess it’s what we were expecting from this filly,” Blacker said.
“She came to us in very good order from the Weir stable and you can’t improve them, but she settled in really well at our stable and did the job well.”
Sebring’s Joy (SebringCunning Lass) was bred by Rhonda Hall at her 12 Oaks Thoroughbreds Stud at Campania and then sold to Weir for $60,000 at last year’s Tas- manian Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Blacker said she would likely head back to Melbourne before the end of the season on a hit-and-run mission.
“I believe she is worth taking back to Melbourne for a 3YO fillies race at Caulfield and there’s one over 1100m in a fortnight that could be suitable,” Blacker said.
Blacker will head to Flemington on Saturday with his three-year-old gelding Zatacla to tackle a 3YO handicap over 1600m but he has changed direction with his reigning Devonport Cup winner Powercharged.
“Plans are still on track with Zatacla for next Saturday but instead of running Powercharged in a heat of the winter championship series on the same day, I’ll take him to Caulfield the following week for a Benchmark 84 race over 1400m,” he said.
“I haven’t analysed the nominations fully but it looks a very suitable race for Zatacla and the horse will go to Melbourne in top order, so he only needs to travel well to make an impact.”
Blacker’s mare Erin’s Element failed to flatter in a sprint over 1100m at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
“The rider [Daniel Moor] said they went a bit too quick for my mare, but in his opinion she also wasn’t suited to the Moonee Valley track so I’ll bring her home this week and take her back in two or three weeks for another crack at a mares’ sprint race,” he said.