Striving to be three times Zewinna
LIGHTLY raced gelding Zewinna has made winning a habit of late and in Launceston on Friday night the John Blacker-trained four-year-old will be shooting for three wins in succession.
Zewinna broke her maiden status in Hobart in July, after which she was given a welldeserved spell. After a first-up fourth in Launceston she has given her rivals the short back and sides, the latest over 1400 metres at Elwick at the end of December.
At her latest outing, in a benchmark 62 handicap, she outgunned the Adam Trinder-trained Imagine Howe, and he franked the form by winning stylishly in Devonport on Wednesday.
“This mare has really hit her straps this time in, and it looks a nice race for her on Friday night,” Blacker said.
Zewinna has had only 11 starts for three wins and two minor placings and her rider Siggy Carr believes she will be capable of winning over more ground, although she remains at 1420m on Friday night.
The top weight Ashmania looms as the main danger with John Luttrell’s mare Markle also a danger, as she has a good record at thew track and over the distance and she was scratched from Wednesday’s Devonport meeting for this race.
●IN-form stayer Rustic Charm has been a late developer, but his recent efforts suggest the Bill an Monica Ryan-trained gelding has found his way into another winnable race.
Rustic Charm has won two is past three starts over of 2100m and Friday night’s assignment in a BM68 over 2150m looks ideal.
The race boasts no star stayers and with a new-found zest for racing, the son of Needs Further could easily stretch his winning streak and possibly head to a race like the Sydeston Night Cup.
Hobart trainer Joel Flannery will be hoping his gelding Steel Skies makes amends for being a scratching at the barrier last Friday in the Brighton Cup.
Flannery was quietly confident his former Victorian stayer had turned the corner and would have been a top winning chance last week and if he can emerge triumphant on Friday night, he could still try and press for a berth in the Hobart Cup.
Talented sprinter And Beyond has been given the task of carrying top weight of 62 kilograms in a benchmark 72 handicap over 1120m on Friday night.
And Beyond comes off a gallant second to Coronation Keith in a BM72 over 1400m in Hobart last Friday week and connections are hoping dropping back to the shorter trip will be enough for him to cope with lugging such a big weight.
He has been handicapped to carry 63-1/2 kilograms but apprentice Erica Byrne Burke will claim 1-1/2 kilograms to reduce the burden.
The Tanya Hanson and Kyle Maskiell-trained gelding was beaten was beaten less than a length last start and he emerged triumphant the only time he stepped out over the trip on the Launceston circuit when wining his maiden on debut in October 2020.