De Goey proved too strong for his rivals yet again, claiming his third win of the season in the Nutrien Ag Supplies Stakes (2200m) in Launceston on Sunday night.
After drifting out to as much as $2.90 during the day, the five-year-old gelded son of Captaintreacherous firmed in the final few minutes of betting to start the $2.10 favourite.
Driver Rohan Hillier kept the pacer out of the early speed battle and raced three-wide in the back half of the field before pressing forward, entering the back straight the first time to end up leading up the one-wide line from the 1300m.
Hillier took the Rohan Hadley-trained pacer to the lead in the home straight, where he proved too tough late for Watermelon Sugar ($21) by a half-neck, with Vanquish Stride ($17) a further four metres away third in a mile rate of 1:57.2s.
“He is proving his ability,” said Hadley.
“Rohan (Hillier) said when he hit the front, he switched off, and then he just waited, then after the line, he got going again, and he was more than happy with him.”
De Goey was placed in the Beautide in early August behind Fighter Command. He then went to New South Wales, where he was placed in one of five starts before returning to Tasmania.
“The longer he was up there, the worse he went, so I got him home out of it and gave him six weeks off, and then I started on him in December and he was starting to go strong, but then he got a quarter crack, so I got Paul Ashwood to help me cut it out, and re-shoe him and he races in a bar shoe now,” the trainer explained.
“I will just race him every couple of weeks while all is good. He is in free-for-all company now. I think now he is in that grade, he is as strong as them, and he nearly caught Star Major in Launceston just before Easter.”
De Goey’s win was the first leg of a driving double for Hillier, who had won earlier in the program on the Paul Ashwood-trained Isla Athena ($2.20 fav).
Wayne Yole was the only trainer to record multiple wins with Angelshavtime ($8.50) and Sapphire Gambler ($2.90 fav).
Following the running of race three, the Launceston Pacing Club Chairman, Chester Bullock, led a minute’s silence in the parade yard, which was attended by a large number of participants, officials and patrons, to mark the passing of trainer-driver Greg Sugars, aged 40.
Sugars passed away in his sleep in Western Sydney after taking a team of horses trained by his wife Jess Tubbs up from their Victorian base on Friday to compete at Menangle on Saturday night.
The three horses engaged at the Menangle meeting competed at the family’s request, including Raider Stakes and Beautide prospect Fighter Command, who won his race.
Harness Racing Victoria abandoned Saturday night’s Melton program as a mark of respect.
