3 minute read
Wesley Vale trainer Glenn Stevenson is fast becoming the prince of plunges with tried horses from interstate winning at their first Tasmanian start.
In Brief
- Another day, another successful Stevenson plunge.
- Namabaale overcomes "poor ride".
- Baker and Jordan share riding honours.
On Sunday it was Namabaale, a former Victorian 3YO who opened $10 and was crunched into $2.70. That followed successful plunges on Title Shot in Launceston on 6 April and Music Addition in Hobart on 10 April. The stable just missed when Rock The Bowler was sensationally backed from $26 into $3.70 and ran second at the Devonport meeting on Easter Monday.
"They come over here and the beach sort of sparks them up. We were reasonably confident with Namabaale, he had galloped with some horses that had won five or six races and beat them.
He's a big Fastnet Rock (sire) who'd had a couple of runs and probably just needed time, he's just one of those horses who got over here and thrived and has found his right spot," Stevenson said.
Namabaale completed a race-to-race double for the trainer and his stable apprentice Codi Jordan who stretched her lead on the premiership table.
"Codi actually got off Namabaale and said it was a poor ride, the reins were slipping through her hands, she was three wide and went early but got the job done."
The pair won earlier with Queen's The Word who sped to the front from a wide barrier and was never headed.
"We always had her set first-up this time, we thought she was going pretty well and when we drew the outside gate today, I told the owners we could go to Hobart and still draw poorly so I said if she can get across she will be hard to beat and a few of the boys took her in a multi with Namabaale and got a nice clean up."
When asked if there was another plunge horse in the stable to watch out for Stevenson replied, "There is one poking around, you will all work it out when it fronts up."
Troy Baker shared riding honours with Jordan, he snared a double with Square Donut ($19) who bounced back to form with an all the way win in a class one 1350m and track specialist Gee Gee Plane ($4.40) who won his fifth race on the synthetic surface.
Etosha ($3.70) scored an impressive first-up victory in the 1009m class one, leading all the way to score by almost three lengths. The 4YO hadn't raced since Launceston Cup Day but was turned out in sparkling order by Terry Evans and was the clear pick from the mounting yard.
It was a mixed bag for punters but the shortest priced favourite of the day, Dramazing, made light work of her task continuing to win her way through the grades and taking her record to seven starts for three wins and two minor placings.
