3 minute read

In-form trainer Sarah Cotton and her apprentice Taylor Johnstone could prove to be a formidable force with a small but select team at Friday night’s meeting in Launceston.

Both Sarah Cotton and Taylor Johnstone have been enjoying plenty of success in recent times, Cotton with five winners and seven placegetters from her past 21 starters, Johnstone landing her 80th career win at the last meeting.

"I actually gave Taylor her first ever winner on Dark Wanderer and it was a bit of a happy moment for us when she outrode her claim on In The Ocean," Cotton said.

"She really suits the way my horses run, she's got a lovely set of hands and obviously she's riding in great form."

On Friday, Cotton will load up three runners from her Broadmarsh stables. Lightly-raced Milton in the 1400m maiden, La Folie Douce, who is in line for a winning hat-trick in the 1200m class 2, and Did You Decide in the 1600m BM68. All three look to have a strong winning chance.

"I've had a double about three times but never a treble," Cotton said with a laugh.

Her first runner Milton has raced just twice but showed a lot of tenacity when finishing second behind Captain Taz in Hobart at his most recent start.

"He will give a very forward showing, he's come on fantastically well since that run and we are really happy with him."

New riding tactics have been the key to La Folie Douce, who has been impressive at her past two wins.

"Her mother raced in a very similar fashion, she used to get back and run home, it was a bit of luck that she missed the 'kick' and stormed home when she ran third. Taylor knows the mare and you can't go past a mare in form."

Did You Decide rounds out the night and after two runs in from a spell, Cotton is confident the lightly raced 6YO is ready to produce his best.

"He was a very unlucky run last start, he's a very big horse and he got stuck in on the rails, we usually get him working from the half-mile, but he didn't get out until the 400m.

"We've applied winkers for the first time, it's been something we've always wanted to put on him; it's a back-up but he's been working nicely and he's eaten well since that last run."

Cotton has 16 horses in work at the moment, along with five she is pre-training. add to that Clerk of Course duties, and there's little time for anything else.

"It never ends to be honest, there's always something racing related."

Cotton currently sits in ninth on the Tasmanian premiership table with 10 winners for the season at a healthy 16.40% winning strike rate.

While Cotton will take just the three horses to the meeting, outriding her claim has not halted Johnstone's momentum, she has rides in seven of the nine races.

The first event on Friday night gets underway at 17:30. My best bets are Dayan Star in race 5 and on an each-way basis Wheeling in the last: from gate two he should get a nice trail.

All the action will be shown on TasracingTV with Matt Reid hosting the coverage.