Tessie holds all the aces

WHILE the main focus for Tasmanian racing turns to Moonee Valley tomorrow, where star four-year-old mare Mystic Journey lines up in the $5 million Cox Plate, punters should be able to build a bank from the local meeting in Launceston tonight.

The meeting at Ladbrokes Park boasts eight races with last-start winner Tessie expected to win race 7, a benchmark 60 event over 1100m.

Tessie was a bold all-theway winner at her first start this preparation in Devonport four weeks ago and her trainer Leanne Gaffney says the mare has trained on from that outing. The four-year-old mare lines up in a benchmark 60 over 1100m (race 7) and from a good gate (3) she should enjoy the run of the race with Craig Newitt aboard.

“We are expecting her to be hard to beat on Friday night,” Gaffney said.

Tessie has never raced on turf, but the mare trialled superbly on the grass at Longford before her first-up win.

“Her trial win at Longford was impressive and she took that form into her first-up run by winning and even though she has a big weight on Friday night [60.5kg] I don’t expect that to worry her over the short trip.”

Gaffney also will saddle up Carmina in the opening race, a class one over 1200m.

“Carmina looked a shade disappointing first-up but she was bustled early and hard-ridden to find a decent spot and that upset her,” Gaffney said. “If she can be ... allowed to be where she wants to be in the run, I’d expect her to improve on what she showed last start.”

Trainer John Blacker is confident his four-year-old Rough Road can win first-up in the same race. Rough Road resumes from a lengthy spell but has trialled twice and pleased Blacker both times.

“Rough Road won his first trial and he wasn’t pushed right out when second at his most recent trial at Longford early this month, so he goes into this race on Friday night ready to win,” Blacker said.

“He won his first start and at his only other two starts he was drawn wide and had to race wide throughout so there were excuses and I thought they were very good efforts.

“This campaign should be his best as I expect him to win his way through the grades.

“I always believed he was a horse that could potentially win his way to open class or at least benchmark 84 level.

“If he gets the right run and is ridden well, I expect the owners to be in the committee room after the race enjoying a quiet drink to celebrate.”

Blacker also saddles up first-starter Margarita Talking in race two, a maiden over 1400m in which the four-yearold mare has drawn the outside barrier (11).

“Margarita Talking [has] drawn the outside gate [but] I don’t think that’s a bother and it won’t surprise me if she is running home strongly at the finish,” Blacker said.

Blacker also expects an improved effort from Jupiter’s Moon in race six, a benchmark 66 over 1400m.