3 minute read

Two $50,000 Tasbred races are the features on the big nine-race program in Hobart on Sunday.

In Brief

• Turk Warrior sure to start a short-priced favourite in 2YO Tasbred feature.
• 3YO feature a wide-open affair.
• Stevenson could snare another treble

The two-year-old feature over 1200m sees the return of outstanding juvenile Turk Warrior that is unbeaten from four starts and he looks likely to start a short-price favourite in a race that boasts only seven starters.

Turk Warrior ended his first preparation with wins in the $150,000 Gold Sovereign and the Tasmanian Magic Millions Classic in February and he tuned up for this assignment with an effortless trial win in Longford on Tuesday.

The Outreach gelding's trainer Glenn Stevenson is confident his stable star will remain undefeated, despite the horse looking a bit burly in his trial this week and while there are some smart two-year-olds in Sunday's line-up bookmakers are likely to serve him up little better than a $1.10 favourite.

The 3YO Tasbred feature is a more wide-open affair as it includes some very well-performed sprinters.

The Imogen Miller-trained Algernon is unbeaten from three starts on the Hobart track that includes a last-start win in a benchmark 66 handicap against older and more experienced rivals.

"I was very pleased with Algernon's first-up win and he has trained on since that run," Miller said.

"He should get a nice run from barrier three, so provided he doesn't have any bad luck, he should be very competitive."

The Graeme McCulloch-trained Entrapped won a race at Moonee Valley before being tipped out for a short break.

She is the most experienced runner having started 13 times, and she tuned up for this race with a trial at Longford this week in which she finished second to Gee Gee Wynett, beaten a neck.

Scott Brunton will saddle up four of the nine final acceptors with First Accused the best-performed of the quartet.

First Accused has won three of six over distances up to 1400m with his only fails coming in the Tasmanian Guineas over 1600m and the Launceston Guineas (2100m).

The gelded son of Turffontein looked good in winning an 800-metre trial recently in Hobart but might have to do some work early having drawn out wide in gate seven.

The Stuart Gandy-trained Gee Gee Sox is a talented filly that has won twice from six starts with her latest in Launceston on Good Friday in a class one over 1100m.

Gee Gee Sox won a trial in Hobart last week that should have her primed to run well on Sunday.

The lightly raced Azara, from the Leanne Gaffney stable, is having only her fourth start but she was impressive in winning a maiden and a class one before her last-start second to Lesnar in a BM66 over 1350m in Devonport.

The Squamosa filly has done nothing wrong at her three outings and looms as a definite each-way prospect.

Thunberg, another of Brunton's quartet, has won three of nine and comes off a solid win in a class three handicap in Hobart last month, although the outside gate could pose a problem against this quality of opposition.

The support card is strong, and Stevenson could have another big day following his treble last Sunday in Devonport.

He saddles up former King Islander Judge Burns in the opening race, a maiden-class one over 2100m, and he is very upbeat about his chances second-up.

His first starter Tavisplash won a trial at Longford on Tuesday and that was good enough to suggest she is an each-way hope in race two, the Armidale Stud Maiden over 1400m.

Stevenson ends the day with his gallant grey Lesnar that is shooting for three wins in succession when he tackles the Macleay Thoroughbred Stud BM78 over 1400m.