Longer hitouts for gun gelding
LONGFORD trainer Peter Luttrell will try his consistent sprinter Westerly Haze over longer distances after the gelding’s impressive first-up win in Launceston on Sunday.
Westerly Haze ($7) resumed from the coronavirus pandemic-enforced shutdown with a game win in a benchmark 74 handicap over 1200m. The seven-year-old came from last and rattled home along the rails to score from race leader Geegee Trendsetter ($3.90 fav) and Artie Dee Two ($4.80).
Luttrell made a significant gear change for this latest assignment and one that he has bed been contemplating.
“The horse has always raced in blinkers, which is probably why he has overraced so much, but each time I was tempted to take them [blinkers] off I backed out,” Luttrell said. “But I bit the bullet and took them off for this run and when he ended up last, I thought I might have got it wrong.
“But he settled so much better and he was still able to win and that’s very encouraging given I want to step him out to longer distances.
“His sire [West Quest] produced a lot of stayers and Westerly Haze’s dam Alittle Hazy was capable over longer trips.”
Westerly Haze has been very consistent with this latest win his seventh and he also has notched 15 minor placings from only 37 starts for $110,000 in stakes.
Luttrell will aim Westerly Haze at a benchmark 74 over 1150m in Devonport on Sunday week after which he will look at gradually stepping him up in distance.
“He goes really well on the synthetic at Spreyton so that’s where we’ll go next and then look at either a 1350m race at that track or we’ll go to Hobart for a 1400m race if there is one available next month.”
Westerly Haze has a great record in Launceston where he has won four and been placed eight times from 18 outings, but that track is out of play as it has refurbishing work in preparation for the 2020-21-night season.
THE gallop trials due to be held at Spreyton were transferred to today because of predicted gale-force winds.
The Devonport club will host its first meeting since January on Sunday week, with all thoroughbred racing alternating between Hobart and Devonport while the Mowbray track undergoes refurbishment.
HARNESS racing returns to Hobart on Friday night and the Launceston Pacing Club will host its first post-COVID meeting on Sunday with the Hobart Greyhound Racing Club to host its first meeting back on Thursday night.
Hobart greyhounds boast a 12-race card with eight events over 340m and the remainder over 461m, with the first race scheduled to start at 6.51pm and the last at 10.37.