Racketeers Boy will be out to continue his consistent form, as he chases his second Tasmanian Horse Transport Show Cup (2200m) in Launceston on Sunday night.
The 10-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding won the Show Cup back in 2021 when trained by Troy Hillier, with the pacer being in the Geoff Smith stable since April 2024.
Racketeers Boy has hit a real purple patch of form of late.
He commenced this current preparation with a second placing on 8 June. After having no luck at his next three outings, the pacer has then gone on to win his next two starts, a standing start event on 24 August, where he dashed home in a 56.1s last half-mile after some soft early sections, before winning again on 31 August, where he recorded a mile rate of 1:56.7s for the 1680m trip.
“He had a few starts where he was just held up and never got into the race.
“But he has been working well at home, and I think if he steps away, he will be hard to beat on Sunday,” said Smith.
Brodie Davis has been in the sulky for the pacers’ past two efforts, and retains the drive on Sunday.
“We have been standing him here and he is going away perfectly. He is a figity horse, and you have just got to get him on the right foot to get him away.
“He was a bad horse for tying up, yet he tied up for me in the first month I had him, and he has never done it since,” Smith explained.
Tasracing’s price assessor, Will Norman, has marked the Todd Rattray-trained and driven Star Major, who will start off 20m, as the $2.20 favourite, as he looks to become the first favourite of the race to win since Ryley Major in 2019.
Smith has three other runners engaged in the Launceston card, including Memphis and Laid Back Kenny in race two.
“He hasn’t been out of a cheque his last few starts, and I’m doubling Kenny up (he is racing in Hobart on Friday) to see how he goes.
While Lets Go Bro lines up in race nine.
“He started to hit his straps last start, they went 1:55.6s last start, and he only got beaten 11m, and he is down a class this week.
The nine-race card commences at 17:09.
