Brighton-based concession reinsman Jacob Duggan continued his good form of recent weeks in Hobart on Sunday night, where he partnered the Juanita McKenzie-trained Sharmey to victory.
Drawing outside of the front row, Duggan restrained the pacer to the tail of the field before gaining a three-wide cart into the race at the bell.
The gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven swept to the lead turning for home, and proved too good for Fighting Fire by 1.5m, with Vigoroso a further 8.8m away third.
“He put them away pretty easy when we got to the top of the straight and I pulled the plugs,” Duggan explained about the win.
“I was a bit worried (with the slow early tempo) but he was always travelling well in the run, which gave me a bit more confidence,” Dugan recalled.
Duggan was also delighted to get another winner for Juanita McKenzie who has been one of his loyal supporters.
“She has been a massive help for me, she put me on at the trials and has been very loyal to me on race day,” said the winning driver.
Duggan is in his first full season of driving and has driven 10 winners this season, with Sunday’s win being his third in the past three weeks.
The win was the first leg of a training double for Mckenzie, who prepared De Marco Beach for her maiden win later in the night.
The young reinsman dabbles in both codes, working full time for thoroughbred trainer Siggy Carr and he is also riding in jump-outs.
Mitch Ford is another young driver enjoying a winning run and that continued with a driving double, scoring aboard the Ben Yole prepared Major Lester and No Nukes Skipper.
Yole ended the night with four winners, with Earl Jujon and Stylish Trend also winning.
The Mark Yole and Mark Reggett combination continued their excellent strike rate, with Chasin Frankie and Buster Byron both doing the right thing by favourite punters.
Rohan Hillier also had a good night at the office.
He trained and drove Montana Storm to victory while teaming up with Paul Ashwood to score with Ideal Pace.
Ashwood has the second-highest strike rate in Australia for winners to starters (with a minimum of 20 starts) this season at 40%.
Australia’s leading strike rate trainer is Victoria’s Emma Stewart at 42.08%.
