3 minute read

Trainer Bill Ryan has high hopes of snaring at least one winner on the eight-event card in Launceston tonight and while he favours his handy mare Red Letter Lady to achieve that goal in race seven, deep down he is hoping that his maiden performer Heza Charmer can deliver the goods first.

In Brief

• Trainer Bill Ryan is hoping for a double in Launceston tonight.
• Heza Charmer has a few convictions but Ryan hoping for the best.
• Red Letter Lady clearly Ryan's best winning hope in Launceston.

Heza Charmer is engaged in the 1200m maiden (race 2) and bookies have installed him an odds-on favourite but there are reasons why the gelding is still a maiden.

"We can only hope for the best with Heza Charmer because that's all you can do with a horse like him," Bill Ryan said.

"But he is an amazing athlete, and should he put it all together on Wednesday night he'll win but he is not a genuine betting proposition because of his history.

"His last trial was the best he's gone and his trackwork has been very good because he has at least been running in a straight line.

"He would be the most frustrating horse I've ever trained but like I said if he every decides to put it together he'll knock up winning races."

Ryan saddles up his promising mare Red Letter Lady in the benchmark 68 handicap over 1200m (race 7) and she only needs to replicate her effort in winning first-up over 1150m in Devonport last month to make it back-to-back wins.

"I was very impressed with this mare's first-up win in Devonport, and she has not gone backwards since that run," Ryan said.

"I gave her a trial at Longford two weeks after that run and her trackwork has been spot-on leading up to this race.

"She's fit and she is a very competitive animal, so I expect her to be very had to beat."

Red Letter Lady is an asthmatic and Ryan must manage her training regime carefully.

"Because she has breathing issues, I have to manage her training program and this is not a good time of the year for her with so much pollen in the air, but right at the minute she is in really good order."