3 minute read

A change of environment has worked wonders for 4YO Tough Impact, who is now in the care of Longford trainer Alana Fulton.

Prior to the move, Tough Impact had raced nine times and never been placed; since then, the horse has started six times for a win and four placings.

"He's a very quirky customer, it's all got to be his way or no way. You can't stand over him, when he thinks he's doing it himself and doing what he wants he actually enjoys what he's doing," Alana Fulton said.

"We have just found the key to him is just to keep him away from the race track, I just work him at home basically and he might go up and have a bit of a gallop once a week and that's it, and he seems to be enjoying it.

"When he first came and we took him up for a bit of a gallop, we took all the headgear off him; I think when he was in Hobart, he was a bit of a rogue; he's come to home and enjoys the surrounds and he's a happy horse I think."

After a first-up sixth for Fulton, Tough Impact ran three consecutive second placings before breaking through, leading all the way over 1200m in Hobart on 28 April.

He has since been placed again and, on Sunday, will contest a Class 1 (1200m), and for a horse that likes to race on the speed, he has drawn ideally in gate two.

"We are just a bit mindful that it's coming to the end of his prep, I think after Sunday he will have a few weeks off, but he hasn't shown that he's getting sick of it.

"He's enjoying his work he's been really well-behaved race day. Kelvin (Sanderson) is pretty keen to get back on him, and he races well for Kelvin, who seems to be able to settle him nice, the way he races there's always going to be something coming home hard, it's just a matter of whether he can last."

Fulton has two others engaged on Sunday, Ventus who is third emergency for the BM60 (1200m) and Perkins, who is entered for the BM68 (1600m).

"It's a bit hard to get him into a race. He always seems to be racing out of his class because we can't seem to get a run with his low rating points, and I'd be happy if he could run top five."

The Aviso Tas Pink Cup is the feature race of the day, and plenty of fundraising activities are planned. All money raised will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

I think there is a bit of value to be found late in the day with Exalted Crown in race 6 and Gee Gee Miss Quita in the last, both should be nice odds.

Matt Reid and Richard Robinson will be trackside for TasracingTV. The meeting starts early, with race 1 set for 11:30.