Visiting Victorian trainer Freddy Taiba prepaid a winning double on Sunday night’s eight-race card in Hobart.
Three-year-old Sweet Lou colt Medina kept his unbeaten record intact when claiming the Tasmanian Horse Transport Pace (2090m).
The $1.24 favourite was kept out of the early speed battle before working forward to take up the lead near the mile mark.
From there, driver Dylan Ford was able to get the race run on his terms, with the colt dashing away from his rivals in a 27.8s final section to score by 7.6m over Sweet Dixie ($7.50) and Peanut Sutter ($31) in a mile rate of 1:58.9s.
Medina won on debut at Cranbourne in March and then wasn’t seen until winning the Sires’ Produce in Hobart two weeks ago.
The Taiba stable made it a race-to-race double when Angus Indiana ($4.20) won the Smithawards Pace (1609m) in 1:55.6s in what was the pacer’s first start since contesting a heat of the Easter Cup in April.
Taiba was one of two trainers to prepare doubles on the program, with Wayne Yole winning with Watermelon Sugar ($7) and Thee Old Bomb ($6.50).
Seriously Sam ($4.60) proved too good for his rivals in the Fehlbergs Produce Sprint Lane Pace (2090m).
The Vincent entire was first up from a spell and was given a lovely run in the one-one by driver Todd Rattray, who let the pacer down three-wide at the 400m, and they were holding Stranded Lollipop ($6.50) late with 1.7m between them in a mile rate of 2:00.7s.
Seriously Sam is eligible for Sunday night’s heats of the Raider Stakes in Launceston.
