Evil win delights Cotton

TALENTED hobby trainer Sarah Cotton has one of the best strike rates in the state and, in Launceston last night, her impressive statistics were further enhanced when lightly raced mare Evil In Me scored an impressive maiden win over 1200 metres.

Evil In Me was having only her third start, but punters were keen to invest on the strength of unlucky minor placings at her only two starts.

With in-form jockey Troy Baker aboard, the four-yearold mare settled handy to the lead and when the rider called on her for the big effort, she sped clear and held on to score from the fast-finishing I Am The Dude with Day Trader and Needs A Scotch dead-heating for third.

Cotton was delighted with the win and predicted a bright future for the daughter of Turffontein.

“She’s only a tiny mare, but she has a big heart and tonight she showed how tough she is,” Cotton said.

“Her first two runs were full of merit and, on her work leading up to this race, I thought she would be very hard to beat.

“My strike rate is good, probably because I try and only bring my horses to the races when they can win.”

Cotton has only two horses in work but she says five is as many as she wants.

While the winner was impressive there also was a lot to like about the effort of the runner-up that hit his head on the starting stalls when the barrier gates opened, which led to him tailing out to last.

But when rider Craig Newitt eased him to the outside of the field in the home straight, he rattled home to be beaten a neck. PREMIER trainer Scott Brunton is confident his six-yearold mare Zuberina is destined to win more races this season following her impressive victory in a class one handicap over 1200m.

Zuberina was a conspicuous drifter in the betting, easing from $6.50 to $10 before firming late to start at the lucrative price of $9.50.

The mare was urged for- ward from a wide gate (11) by rider Siggy Carr who settled her outside the leader and she was content to wait until entering the home straight be- fore releasing the reins. Once balanced, Zuberina sped clear and fought off all challenges over the final 200 metres to score comfortably from Emsgem ($12) and Miss Smith ($13).

“I’m sure this mare will win better races than this,” Brunton said.