Our Long Sali does it easy

TALENTED t wo- year- old filly Our Long Sali tuned up for the Autumn Classic with an effortless win in the Andrew Walter Constructions 2YO handicap over 1100m in Hobart yesterday.

Our Long Sali was backed to the exclusion of the other three runners, with $1.28 the best offered on the Stuart Gandy-trained youngster.

With Craig Newitt aboard, the filly settled third behind her other two stablemates Gee Gee Mr Paul ($5.75) and Gee Gees Wild One ($6), with the rank outsider Bonduel Lily ($71) well off the pace.

When Newitt eased his filly to the outside fence in the home straight, she sped clear and was being eased down over the final 100m to score by seven lengths from Gee Gee Mr Paul with another five lengths to Gee Gees Wild One.

The track was downgraded to a heavy 8 before the meeting started but was further downgraded to a heavy 10 after the opening race.

Newitt was full of praise for the Needs Further filly that is from the Written Tycoon mare Tycoon Sali.

“I know there wasn’t a lot of depth in this field she beat today but I’m certain she is a top-class filly,” Newitt said. “I won the Tassie Magic Millions classic on this filly and I said then she was probably the best two-year-old in the state.

“But she is stronger now than she was a couple of months back, so she is going to be very hard to beat in whatever she tackles here in Tasmania for the rest of her campaign.”

Gandy was happy with her performance and confirmed she would progress to the Autumn Classic over 1200m in Hobart in a fortnight before possibly heading to the Sires Produce Stakes over 1400m in Launceston two weeks later.

Newitt said the heavy ground presented no problems for the filly.

“Her action never changed from start to finish and if this ground — which is the heaviest she will ever race on — doesn’t affect her, then nothing will.” A HUGE betting plunge went awry yesterday when the Leon Laskey-trained mare Reann’s Diamond finished fourth after being backed in from $31 to start the $2.80 favourite in a benchmark 64 over 1400m.

Reann’s Diamond (Ismail Toker) settled last and, after copping two minor checks nearing the home turn, she failed to run on.

The race was won by the Scott Brunton-trained Bayview Emperor, which also was backed in from $14 to start at $8, with Welcome Invader second ahead of Turtles Nest.