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Brendon McCoull's charge back to the top of the Tasmanian jockey premiership is all but complete after he landed five winners at Mowbray on Saturday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
McCoull was the star of the St Leger meeting in Launceston as his five win haul took him to 53 wins for the season and only half a win behind premiership leader Stephen Maskiell.
McCoull, a 12-time winner of the Tasmanian premiership, has made a magnificent comeback to riding after he suffered a broken collarbone in a race fall at Mowbray in January.
He was sidelined for 10 weeks, allowing Maskiell - himself a seven time winner of the premiership - to open a up a lead of more than 20 wins but has cut back the difference in just five weeks.
Saturday's meeting saw McCoull land two of the feature races on Western Hero in the $50,000 Tasmanian Sires Produce Stakes and Huon Knight in the 3YO Classic.
His other winners were Simon Said Lets Go, Encoista De Legend and Banca Mo.
Huon Knight was one of three winners prepared by leading trainers Scott and David Brunton and has earned himself a trip to Melbourne.
"There's a race coming up at Moonee Valley that might suit him,' Scott Brunton said.
Western Hero confirmed his rating as the top Tasmanian two-year-old of the season when he gave Terry Evans his second successive win in the Sires Produce Stakes while the Michael Trinder-trained Royal Miswaki made it six wins from her past eight starts when she won the $30,000 Tasmanian St Leger.
Western Hero has won five his nine starts and Evans is eyeing a trip to Melbourne for his star youngster.
"We'll wait till the dust settles but you've got to think about it,' the trainer said.
"You don't get horses like this very often. He's had a long preparation but he's a horse that doesn't waste any energy on trackwork.
Michael Trinder reckons St Leger winner Royal Miswaki will make a great jumper but doubts that the mare's owners will allow him to go down that path.
"It's not going to happen so she can go to the paddock now and hopefully she'll measure up to some good flat races next time," Trinder said.
