Tassie tiger hunts Star billing
TASMANIA’S latest Group-winning mare Still a Star stepped out in a trial at Longford on Tuesday as part of her preparation for the Group 1 Empire Rose (1600m) to be run at Flemington on October 30.
The Bill Ryan-trained mare strolled over 1400m, winning the three-horse trial comfortably, and rider Siggy Carr still had a tight grip on the reins at the finish.
“I’ve just got to keep her ticking over until we head back to Melbourne and this trial was a nice exercise gallop for her,” Ryan said.
“She had a little bit of a respiratory infection when she came back from her last trip but that cleared up quickly and today’s trial showed she is in top order.
“I’ll probably give her a grass gallop at Mowbray early next week and that will top her off nicely for the race at Flemington.”
Still a Star scored an impressive win at her last start in the Group 2 Rose of Kingston (1400m) at Flemington and in the same race, champion Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey was a fast-finishing third.
Both will line up in the Empire Rose on Saturday week.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian punters will be treated to back-to-back thoroughbred meetings this week.
Following the cancellation of last Saturday’s thoroughbred meeting due to the southern Tasmanian snap lockdown, Tasracing has reinstated the meeting to be run at Elwick on Thursday. The following night the Tasmanian Turf Club will host an
eight-race card in Launceston. Having a race meeting on a public holiday in the south of the state (Show Day) should mean strong patronage, although due to Covid restrictions all attendees at the meeting will be required to wear a mask, unless while eating or drinking.
The Show Day meeting will be broadcast on Sky 1 for the first four races, with Sky 2 to broadcast the remaining
four races. There will also be free coverage of the entire meeting on Tasracing TV via www.tascacing.com.au.
With the rail out 15m from the true position, field sizes are restricted to nine or 10 runners, depending on distances.
Premier thoroughbred trainer Scott Brunton will take more than 20 of his stable tenants to the meeting
and has multiple entries in all but one race.
The plethora of racing in Hobart starts on Wednesday night with an eight-event card of harness racing at Elwick – the rescheduled meeting from last Sunday – that boasts the 2YO Dandy Patch and 2YO Evicus Stakes finals, each worth $50,000.
Mickey Oh is expected to start favourite to take out the Dandy
Patch final on the strength of his effortless win in the Dandy Patch Prelude last Sunday week.
The 10-race meeting kicks off at 5.33pm and concludes with an NR45-49 pace at 10.10pm.
The Hobart Greyhound Racing Club will host a meeting on Thursday night.
PETER STAPLES IS ALSO EMPLOYED BY TASRACING