Wednesday, 30 January 2008: In form Victorian jockey Dean Yendall will team up with long-time friend and talented trainer Jamie Edwards in the $200,000 Cadbury Tasmanian Derby at Tattersalls Park Elwick on Saturday week.
Yendall will ride Edwards' promising young stayer Tarpins in the Derby.
Tarpins broke his maiden status in a maiden over 1800 metres at Horsham in late December but it was his subsequent second in a class one at Seymour that convinced his trainer to target the Tasmanian Derby.
"The horse won his maiden over 1800 metres but when he rattled home to run second over 2200 metres at Seymour I knew we had ourselves a genuine staying type so I set him for the Tasmanian Derby," Edwards said.
"I took him to Geelong two weeks ago and he won well over 2233m and while I was contemplating giving him another run I decided against it because he is super fit and has already had the two runs over 2200 metres leading up to the Tasmanian race."
Yendall is upbeat about the chances of Tarpins in the Derby.
"The horse is going super and I am very happy to be riding him in the Tassie Derby," Yendall said.
"I've been on him most of this preparation and he is a genuine stayer who will run out a very strong 2200 metres," he said.
Yendall has been in great form with his four winners at Mildura on Tuesday taking his winning tally for the month to 22.
He will be a regular rider during the Tasmanian carnival with his mounts including Victorian mare Fire Vain in the $80,000 Swettenham Stud Bow Mistress Stakes on Derby day.
Longford trainer John Blacker has also booked Yendall to partner his promising three-year-old filly Tilda in the Wrest Point Strutt Stakes on Hobart Cup Day on Monday week.
Depending on her performance he is likely to stick with her in the PFD Food Services Tasmania Oaks at Launceston.
Yendall also has been booked to ride the Gary White-trained Rhumb Line in the AAMI Hobart Cup and he will partner the Jason Clifford-trained Forbidden Quest in the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons on the same program.
