After an unlucky sixth at his first Tasmanian start, former Queensland pacer Iron Clad looks well placed to record his first Tasmanian win on the nine-race on Sunday in Hobart.
The meeting was scheduled to be held during Sunday afternoon, but on Friday it was moved to Tasmanian harness racing’s traditional time slot of Sunday twilight, to allow for Sky Racing 1 coverage of the Launceston thoroughbred meeting that was moved from Friday night.
The Art Major entire had previously been racing in Queensland, where he had won eight races, with his most recent victory coming at a Saturday night metropolitan meeting at Albion Park on 20 September in a mile rate of 1:54.8s for 2138m.
Iron Clad had his first Tasmanian start in Launceston last Sunday, where he raced behind the leader and was held up in the straight in an open class event, where he finished 15m behind the winner, Vanquish Stride.
He drops back to a National Rating 64 to 79 event on Sunday over the 1609m trip, a distance at which he has recorded six wins.
“He was extremely unlucky (last start), in my opinion, if he had been able to lead and got away with a cheap quarter, he would have won. Mark (Yole) was very pleased with him,” said trainer Wayne Yole.
“He was a handy horse in Queensland, and he is a stallion that has a bit of stamina about him.
“Mark was going to drive him (this Sunday), but he is unavailable this weekend, so Mitch (Ford) is on him.
“We will see how he goes on Sunday, and how he pulls up to see what sort of races we aim him at going forward,” said the trainer.
The Yole stable is represented in seven of the nine races, with the trainer giving a lean to Rock On Playboy in race eight when asked who was his next best winning chance.
Sunday’s nine-race card commences with a Two Year Old at at 17:09, which will be shown on Sky Racing 2, with the remaining races scheduled to be shown on Sky Racing 1.
Meanwhile, there is strong Tasmanian interest in Saturday night’s Victoria Oaks heats at Melton.
Last start Launceston winner, Barbary Tales, is set to make the trip across to line up from barrier one for Steven and Brodie Davis, and is a $7.50 chance in early betting.
The Bride, a winner of five races from 10 starts, has joined the stables of former Tasmanian Alex Ashwood, and is a recent Shepparton trial winner in good time and has firmed from $31 into $9.00 in early betting.
