The form of horses moving to mainland Tasmania after the King Island harness racing has stood up reasonably well in the lower national rating races, and that trend looks set to continue after the win of Arma Rolling Stone in an up to 39 rating event in Launceston on Friday night.
The six-year-old gelding won two of six races over the summer on King Island and was confidently driven outside the leader on Friday, where he won in a mile rate of 1:59.3s for the 1680m trip, with John Walters in the sulky.
“He looked amazing when I got him, and you wouldn’t have even known he had the trip over. I can’t take any of the credit given the way I got him and the short time I have had him from Shane (Keeler, former trainer).
“I watched some of his New South Wales runs before he went to the Island, and he looked a bit of a plugger and a last man standing type, and that’s what happened,” said trainer Clayton Miller.
“One of his owners, Ian Styles, just rang me up out of the blue the week before his last start on King Island and asked if I was interested in training him.
“He left King Island on Monday afternoon and arrived in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“What will help him going forward is the preferential barrier draws on wins and prize money, so in those low rating races, he will keep drawing good,” said the trainer
Junior driver Brodie Davis moved to the top of the state drivers’ premiership after the first month, producing a last-to-first victory in the opening race on the Brian Mackrill-trained Norbet ($4.20).
Driving honours at the meeting went to Dylan Ford who drove a treble, winning with Sue Nien ($2.15 fav), Twilight Beach ($2.00 fav) and Done Well ($2.15 fav) with Charlie Castles notching up a double aboard Just Jaydo ($2.90 eq. fav) and Grinning Again ($9.50).
Castles, who trained Just Jaydo along with Mr Bondi ($2.35 fav), and Tammy Langley, whose wins included Twilight Beach and Done Well, shared training honours.
