Gun primed to Play hard

BRIGHTON trainer John Luttrell has had some of the best three-year-olds pass through his stables over the years including Royal Work and Geegees Blackflash — but he says he could have one of their equal in his midst.

Set Play has won two of only three starts for Luttrell and in Launceston tonight he has the chance to stake his claim as a genuine Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival contender when he takes on a cracking field in the 3YO Trophy over 1400m.

Set Play won a maiden and a class one handicap against older and more experienced horses and at his only other outing he was a luckless fourth in the 3YO Cup behind Bill Ryan’s smart filly Still A Star three weeks ago in Launceston.

“When this horse first arrived from Melbourne, he showed me something a bit special and after three starts for me I am convinced he has what it takes to win a really big three-year-old race this season,” Luttrell said. “He was very unlucky in the 3YO Cup because he was positioned behind the leader that we all thought was the one to beat, but when that filly [Deroche] stopped suddenly at the top of the home straight my horse had nowhere to go.

“He ran on well when he got clear, but could have finished a lot closer to the winner.”

Set Play is by Strategic Maneuver from the Choisir mare Lady’s Pride, which suggests he should be good over longer distances.

“If everything goes to plan, he will go on to the Tasmanian Guineas over 1600m early next month and then we might test him in the Hobart Guineas over 2100m as a lead-up to the Tasmanian Derby,” Luttrell said.

Luttrell won a Tasmanian Derby with Geegees Blackflash and he went on to win multiple major cups. Luttrell said: “I’m not saying this horse is as good as Geegees Blackflash because he is the best I’ve trained.

“But from what he has shown so far he has the potential to go on and win some really good races.”

The Bill Ryan-trained Set Play is unbeaten from two starts this time in and is the likely favourite to win the 3YO Trophy ahead of Heaven’s Bonus and Set Play.

The Scott Brunton-trained Hellova Street ($3.30) has been installed favourite to win the $100,000 weight-forage Conquering Stakes over 1400m ahead of I’m Wesley ($3.50), which is attempting to win the race for third year in succession.

Hellova Street’s stablemate Mandela Effect is next in betting at $4.20 with the Adam Trinder-trained mare Twitchy Frank, which was a game second to I’m Wesley in the Newmarket Handicap, next best at $6.

The first race tonight is scheduled to start at 5.25pm with the last of eight at 9.30pm.