Motown hit in girls’ night

IT was a girl’s night out in Launceston on Wednesday with five of the eight races won by mares.

Seven Mile Beach trainer Tegan Keys snared a double with Motown Blues and La Dernier Fille, Toorak Affair won at her first start for new trainer Michael Trinder, hobby trainer Vern Poke’s Posh Pursuit broke her maiden status and Sh’bourne Star won a class two for Bill Ryan.

Sh’bourne Star (Craig Newitt) came from last to win a class two handicap in the last bound over Invincible Lad, after which Ryan said the mare could be headed for feature mares races later this season.

“We had to be very patient with this mare but it is starting to pay off,” Ryan said.

“She is such a finicky eater that it became a real effort to get weight on her, but we have worked through that issue.

“She has always shown us above-average ability and now she is starting to put it into her racing.

“It doesn’t pay to look too far ahead with mares, but if she continues to improve then I guess we might end up looking at a race like the Vamos Stakes [$150,000 Group 3 for mares] at the end of February.”

Keys prepared a double and while the raps are big on Le Dernier Fille, her other handy mare Motown Blues continues to impress in whatever she tackles.

Motown Blues won a strong benchmark 64 event over 1220m in which speedster Geegee Trendsetter set a solid clip and held a four-length break entering the home straight.

But under strong riding from Troy Baker, Motown Blues knuckled down to her task over the final 100m to run the leader down and score by a half-length.

Since arriving from Victoria the daughter of Keltrice has had five starts for two wins, as many seconds and a third.

“Motown Blues has been so competitive since she arrived here and as long as she holds her form she is going to win more races,” Keys said.

La Dernier Fille also shows potential as she has won her past two and will soon be tested beyond 1600m.

Posh Pursuit’s maiden win was celebrated by her trainer Vern Poke.

“That was her first win, but she has been so unlucky it’s hard to believe she hasn’t won a race before now,” Poke said.

“I’ll keep her racing in races up to 1400m and there’s plenty to choose from in her rating range.”