Three-year-old filly Our Willow will be out to break her maiden status when she lines up in the opening race in Hobart on Friday night.
The Paul Carlson-trained daughter of Vincent has been placed in three of 12 starts, with two of those placings in three starts this preparation.
She finished fourth against some of the state’s best three-year-old Tasbred fillies in a heat of the Bandbox behind Smooth Reason, but a placing in a maiden race two starts ago, puts her in strong contention for Friday’s assignment.
“She has been going alright. She probably should have won when she ran second (two starts ago in Launceston) after being interfered with, but she has come up alright this time in,” said Carlson.
“I wasn’t disappointed with her run in the heat of the Bandbox last week. They ran pretty quickly the last two quarters, and she got a bit tired towards the end. She has pulled up well, so I thought we would go to Hobart (on Friday) and try to get the maiden out of the way.
“She has been a bit of a handful, but she has settled down a bit now in her races,” said the trainer.
Gareth Rattray will take the drive in Friday’s maiden event over 2090m, where she has five other rivals.
Carlson purchased the pacer as a yearling at the Tasmanian Harness Racing Yearling sale and is one of four in work.
“She will probably be the last one I buy at the sales as I’m still breeding a couple, I’m working four at the moment, and I’m meant to be retired, there are a few horses about down here at the moment.
