Overplay pulls off breathtaking win

WELL-BRED three-year-old Overplay left most punters gasping for air when he scored an impressive win in the $100,000 Crown Lager Tasmanian Guineas over 1600m in Hobart yesterday.

Overplay started at $26 and gave his rider, former Irish apprentice Chris Graham, his biggest win since he relocated to Tasmania 18 months ago.

The David Miller-trained colt enjoyed the run of the race behind the odds-on favourite Mister Songman ($1.85), which led to well into the home straight, when Graham eased his charge off the rails to challenge.

The Written Tycoon colt burst through a gap and went on to score by a long neck from the fast-finishing Double You Tee, with Pateena Arena a distant third and just ahead of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Chain of Fools.

The favourite tired to finish fifth.

“I was very surprised he was the forgotten horse [by pundits] because his form has been terrific and from that barrier [1] he was always going to get the run of the race,” Miller said.

Overplay went into the race the winner of a maiden from six starts, but his previous start produced a luckless fourth of six behind Mister Songman over 1400m in Launceston.

Overplay is from the topproducing mare Darcenell, which won many feature races as a juvenile before heading to the breeding barn where she has produced four foals, of which three have raced and won.

Overplay’s older full brother, Underplay, has notched seven wins and six minor placings from his 25 starts.

Miller is unsure whether he will aim Overplay at the longer trips during the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival such as the Hobart Guineas or the Tasmanian Derby.

“I’ll see how he pulls up, but if everything is right with him he could go to the Hobart Guineas and if he runs well there we’ll look at the Derby,” Miller said. EASTENDER will progress to next month’s Hobart Cup following a convincing win in the Brighton Cup (2100m), a race that offered the winner ballot-free entry into the Hobart Cup.

With Craig Newitt aboard, Eastender missed the start and dropped out to a clear last and was under hard riding 1000m out and making not much ground.

But the rider never became flustered and waited for the gelding to find his rhythm and he gradually made his way through the field.

Weekend Whisky set a cracking pace, but when he hit the wall turning for home Hugo burst to the lead and looked to have it won.

But Eastender let rip with giant strides, caught the leader and went on to score by more than a length from Hugo, with Earl Da Vinci battling away for third ahead of Up Cups.