Trainer eyes off features
TASMANIAN Hall of Fame trainer Barry Campbell will carefully map out a plan to tackle multiple feature races with Fragment after his impressive first-up win in a Class 3 handicap over 1200m in Launceston last night.
Punters rallied for the Scott Brunton-trained Nunivak, backing him in from $2.15 to start the $1.65 favourite, while Fragment, considered the only genuine danger, drifted to start at the amazing price of $7.
With Craig Newitt aboard, Fragment (Churchill Downs- Penn) showed good early speed to hold the rails and share the lead with the favourite before Nunivak eased to take a trail behind Qui Samer, who faced the breeze to the home turn.
Nunivak issued a challenge and looked to cruise to Fragment, but Newitt was only toying with the favourite.
When he called on his mount to extend, he forged clear and went on to defeat the challenger by almost a length with Champagne’s Girl the same margin away third.
“I am very pleased with this horse and I’m sure there are better races we can chase with him this season,” Campbell said. “He has always shown plenty of ability and his record speaks for itself, but this could be his best season.” ANASTASIA made a promising Tasmanian debut when she scored a game win in a 1200m maiden.
Trainer Adam Trinder said the mare did not have enormous potential but she should be competitive in whatever she contested for the rest of her preparation.
“The mare came to me in very good order from the Nikki Burke stable so we didn‘t have to do much work to get her to the races,” Trinder said.
“She is a lovely little mare who won’t soar to any great heights but she is honest.” FORMER King Island galloper Mr America ($16) delivered a knockout blow to most punters last night when the six-year-old powered his way to an impressive win in a Class 1 handicap for colts and geldings over 1400m.