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Trainer John Keys was off to a flyer with the quinella in the opening event, a 2YO & 3YO 1200m maiden in Hobart on Sunday.

Keys scored with stable newcomer Dysart ($3.30), who was given a gun run by champion jockey Craig Newitt. Although he was a little slow to begin, Newitt had the 3YO on the rails behind the leader. Then, when they straightened, he punched through along the rails to win from Sky Land ($2.10), with Gee Gee Saltbush ($81) running on to finish third.

"He's only been here about a fortnight. Tegan (Keys) galloped him the other day and said he goes well," the trainer said.

Before Sunday, Dysart had raced four times and was coming off a close fourth at Geelong at his most recent run.

Keys and Newitt made it a double when the promising Cartoon Graveyard ($2.90) won his fifth race from just 12 starts in the 1400m Class 4.

Always up on the speed, Cartoon Graveyard hit the front at the top of the straight and scored by almost two lengths.

"He was pretty keen, but he had a bit of class on them; he hit the front a fair way out, he was there to be run down, but to his credit, he was strong through the line," Newitt said.

In-form trainer John Blacker saddled up two runners in the small field contesting the BM68 (2100m) and provided the first two across the line.

Page ($2.70) and Montezulu ($3.30) settled at the tail of the four-horse field, but it was evident a long way from home that Page was travelling like a winner.

Blacker had the mare entered for Devonport last Wednesday but decided to keep her to run in Hobart.

"I just thought it was a winnable race for her even though her record in Hobart is pretty ordinary. But in the small field, she is more experienced as a stayer, and weight-wise, she came into the race pretty good," the trainer said.

"It was good to get a result for her because she probably hasn't got much time left in the stable. She will be retired and go to stud."

"She just got a lovely run in behind them and let go at the top of the straight and put paid to them," jockey Siggy Carr added.

A clever ride and an equally clever training performance saw Lily Luella land some good bets in the 1400m class 1.

First-up since racing over 2100m in November Lily Luella ($11 – $5.50), coming off a strong trial win, jumped quickly but was snagged back to the tail before rushing down the outside to grab Blonde Star ($3) in the last couple of strides.

"I've made a couple of mistakes with the horse because she is bred to stay, so this time, she has had that one trial, and she's not doing the heavy sand work like a few others.

"We've kept her fresh and her work has been very good, and a good ride, very cold cool ride, trainer Glenn Stevenson said.

"We did jump very well, but I knew there would be speed on, and I didn't want to overdo her, so I brought her back, got a bit of cover, and I was travelling really nicely, and she worked home really nicely to the line," winning jockey Taylor Johnstone added.

Stevenson maintained his four-win break at the top of the trainer's premiership, and Newitt made it three wins for the day when Brazen Impact made it two on the trot, leading throughout to win the BM60 (1600m).

Aggressively ridden from the inside gate to hold the lead, Brazen Impact ($4) was tough at the finish, winning by a half-length from Saxon Mist ($3.80) with Rigoletto ($3) third.