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Finding winners at the meeting in Launceston on Wednesday night shouldn’t be hard, with a few short- priced favourites likely to salute on the eight-race card.
The first race is a maiden and an open affair with the market confirming that, so it presents punters with a few winning options, but the second race, the class one handicap over 1400m should see Tavisplash, Needs Toasting and Blushed battle it out for favouritism.
Tavisplash was heavily backed first-up in Launceston two weeks ago but got caught up back in the field when apprentice Taylor Johnstone's mount had the saddle slip, which effected a few back in the field including Tavisplash.
The five-year-old mare has drawn wide (13), but it should have no effect on her performance as she usually gets back in the field and saved for a dash at them in the home straight, which the Launceston track should offer.
Coronation Keith is a five-year-old who has had only four starts and he emerged from an eight-month spell with an eye-catching win over another promising galloper Alfie All Talent in Launceston three weeks ago.
Trainer Siggy Carr has been carefully planning a program for the gelded son of Puissance De Lune that included Wednesday's assignment and just to make sure he was sharp enough; Carr gave him a trial at Longford last Tuesday that he won and made the opposition look ordinary.
Coronation Keith lines up in the Carlton and United Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1400m and bookmakers have understandably been cautious by offering short odds ($1.80), but Carr has found the right race, and says that the horse is potentially the best she has trained.
Talented mare Boom Dot Com is the logical danger, but she will carry a half-kilogram more in weight and will be giving Coronation Keith a decent head start.
The Adam Trinder-trained The Risk Factor should have benefitted from the run in a 1400-metre benchmark 66 handicap two weeks ago and finds a winnable event on Wednesday night.
The Risk Factor lines up in a benchmark 76 over 1600m (race 6) and gets in with a modest weight (56.5kg), but more importantly he finds a more suitable distance.
After he finished fourth two weeks ago, Trinder suggested he will be better suited when he gets to 1600m and beyond.
John Blacker invested heavily in first season sire Alpine Eagle two years ago and he could be about to reap the benefits and it could start in the opening race on the program in the form of Alpine Blast that opened this latest preparation in Launceston two weeks ago.
Alpine Blast (Alpine Eagle-Rose of Woorim) resumed from a spell for an eye-catching fifth behind the highly promising Queenborough Flyer, so he should strip a lot fitter for Wednesday's assignment.
Alpine Blast worked home nicely from well back after being held up at a crucial stage in the straight, so with any luck he should break his maiden status.
