Just Tiger ($3.60) proved he is on track for the upcoming Golden Apple series with a narrow but tough first-up win in the N.W.T.L.H.A Cup (2500m) in Burnie on Friday night.
The Charlie Castles-trained and driven pacer had been first up for 109 days, making his first start past 2200m and his first standing start try.
While his standing manners were safe but very slow, he ticked all the other boxes the trainer-driver wanted for the upcoming Summer Carnival.
Ending up in the one-one, Castles whipped around a tiring runner at the 600m, to race outside the leader for the final 400m, where he won a great battle with Bold Centurian ($31) by one metre, with Colby Sanz ($41) again catching the eye to finish three and a half metres away third in a mile rate of 2:05.4s.
“That was a real good effort first up, especially at his first start over 2500m,” said Castles.
“I think his (standing start) manners will get better. We were slowly off the tape, and a few rushed forward quickly. We will work on that and look to improve.
The Golden Apple is a national rating 80 or better-conditioned handicap over 2200m in Launceston. Two heats of 12 are scheduled for 24 November, and the $50,000 final will be held the following week.
“I reckon he will get a run. They usually aren’t full fields those heats, so we will go there and see how we go,” the trainer-driver said.
Castles ended the program with a double when Cee Tee Chelsea ($2.30 fav) won the Choices Flooring Mobile (2180m), after racing outside the leader.
“She did it comfortably for the last 300m, still had the earplugs in, and pulled up like she hadn’t been around.
“We will just continue to look for the right races. She is Tasbred, which is a help,” said Castles.
Wayne Yole took training honours at the meeting with a treble.
His son Mark drove Online Model to victory, before teaming up with reinsman Mitch Ford to win with Rocks Roy and Smooth Deal.
The voluntary Burnie committee should also be congratulated on how well the track raced after a deluge of rain earlier in the day.
Six of the eight races saw the 60s mark broken for the last half mile, and the Tasracing Calculated Sectionals recorded 10 individual runners breaking 58s for their own last half mile. The quickest was Crack The Vault in the opening race, which was recorded running 56.73s.
