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Launceston hosts the final Tasmanian grass meeting until the night racing season commences (5 October) with an eight-race card on Sunday.
As has been the case for the previous two Launceston meetings this winter, the rail is a long way out, +11m 1200m-W/Post, +7m Remainder which is the exact same position used for the 26 June program.
Mowbray appears to have missed the worst of Launceston's poor weather this week but I've done the form for nothing better than a 6-7 rated surface.
R1 Ron Riley Maiden, 1220m
Tricky start with potentially five debutantes. HER THOUGHTS (4) is well exposed with eight starts for the campaign but is entitled to be near the front of the market again. She raced wide last time in Hobart in a race where OXY DREAM (6) loomed to win but couldn't finish. The strength of that race is a big query. MULTISANTI (2) drops back in trip but gets the blinkers and stable apprentice EBB going on. He finished hard up on the rail last time which was an obvious disadvantage as the meeting progressed. WOUNDED MISS (8), ONWARD AND UPWARD (3) and SMASHING HIT (7) all made ground from miles back in the field last start. That pattern may be hard here in race 1 with the rail +11m. ADACHI (9) was perhaps the pick of the first starters coming via Hobart trials but has an awful draw. DUNCANNON (1) didn't beat much in a Devonport trial but did so easy enough. Graeme McCulloch has picked up MISS KAFOOPS (5) who has ordinary Victorian form but a pair of decent Devonport trials behind her.
R2 Alf Matthews Maiden, 1620m
CHI MAZEL (2) continues to be a friend for bookmakers, running second at all three starts this campaign, the last two as a short favourite. Back out to a mile is no negative but gate 1 may be awkward for a horse that doesn't show much gate speed. CAMPEAO (1) set a good tempo in front dropping back in distance and boxed on well. Only riding sparingly these days, jockey David Tootell is after his first winner since January. NEEDS REMEMBERING (5) doubled in price in Hobart but ran a good race after settling near the speed. Without a heap of pace in the race Troy Baker may look to be positive again from a wide draw. LABBY ROCK (9) was third out of the same formline, continuing to run on well from back in the field without really looking like the winner. WEALLSTUCKATHOME (12) has been running much better than her SP's indicate, never more evident than the last start third in Class 1 company. She'll be giving a big start again though from a wide draw. LEICA STARLET (11) copped interference in the straight last time which inflated the margin and had market support first-up. JACKJACK (4) ran a nice race last time he was in Launceston and LADY INDY (10) closed hard from the tail suggesting the extra distance will suit.
R3 Ladbrokes Bm60 Hcp, 1620m
NEED A FLUTTER (8) positioned in the first few in Hobart and was too good for a field that contains a few rivals again here. KEEPER’S TOUCH (9) led and boxed on for third. Any sting out of the track won't bother him and he gets 1.5kg off the winner. LUCA BRATZI (10) had the wrong part of the track and UNVAQUISHABLE (7) was ordinary after a market drift. BELL RINGER BOY (2) has sprinted home very hard at his past couple off slow tempos. He was unsuited dropping in distance in Hobart. HELLOT (5) was a maiden winner on the same program and that form can receive a push earlier in the card. FOUR LETTER WORD (12) settled much closer to the speed last time which was key to her notching career win number two. If the track is racing as it did in Hobart that day, she's a big chance to go back-to-back. MISS DELIA (4) doesn't have a pilot at the time of writing. She's sat back and hit the line in two Devonport trials and good form has come out of her Launceston win. ASHMANIA (1) is unproven on the wet but is back in class and was a winner at her only start at the T&D. The market has despised DOONICAN (3) in both Tassie starts but he has perhaps had excuses in both, racing wide in Launceston and the pole draw was a negative in Hobart. RANSOM TRUST (11) had the track pattern in her favour when she bolted in three starts ago but it's worked against her in two subsequent runs.
R4 Access Hardware Bm68 Hcp, 1450m
RICH CLAN (6) resumed off a freshen with a nice win at the last Launceston program. Pires stays with him which may be a lead given S.Brunton has four runners in the race. JEREMIAH (2) hasn't won for 15 starts dating back to October 2020 but wasn't far away last start. Back to 68 grade with 57kg after the claim for Lauryn Bingley looks a spoil. BRINKTOP LAD (3) was in the slow lanes in Hobart and draws the opposite side of the track here. An early watch on the track pattern will be important for him. Stablemate FREAK ON A LEAD (7) has the pole draw coming off a Hobart win where he was allowed to do as he pleased in front. NEED TO BE UNIQUE (4) has won twice from three Launceston starts so has the chance to turn the tables on those that finished ahead of him last time out. POLITICAL (5) has only had the one Tassie start where he led and weakened but good form has come out of the race. LUCKY LIL (8) couldn't keep up in a strong 1220m race and is a likely improver though she's rarely shown her best at this track.
R5 Vale Michael Hart Class 1 Hcp, 1450m
It took a good performance to run SPIRITED TOFF (1) down at the T&D last time and he maps to find the lead with relative ease again. DAWN EAGLE (3) was very good here at the June meeting behind Fairy Magic but has been a bit disappointing since. She draws out which may well be a positive by the back half of the card. GAUDI GIRL (4) was a big win at her first start for Glenn Stevenson in Devonport and then went to Hobart for a four-horse field where they basically finished how they settled. This looks a little easier for BELLE CADEAU (5) whose finished behind some handy types throughout the campaign. POWERFUL PEBBLES (6) will be back and running on so the track pattern will be vital for her chances, particularly dropping from the mile to 1450m.
R6 Marjorie Fitzpatrick Memorial Open Hcp, 1220m
MUSIC ADDITION (3) has been a revelation since arriving in Tasmania, notching four wins and only having his colours lowered by the smart First Accused. Despite racing three wide without cover he was still too good for subsequent winner Julius last time out. He rises 2kg which will help the likes of GEE GEE SECONDOVER (1), BLAZE FORTH (2) and SAVS FINALE (6) who finished behind him in that race. Secondover has a great second-up record and was an eye catcher first-up. The exciting ALPINE WOLF (5) resumes with a pair of excellent trials setting the stage for his return to the track. He was ridden very quietly over the shorter distances last campaign so tactics from Daniel Ganderton will be interesting, particularly from a wide draw. He's an unknown on rain-effected ground but if runners are looking to get to the middle, he may be favoured. VIVILICI (7) is a smart mare in her own right, also returning with a pair of good trials, one of which was behind Alpine Wolf. She gets in with no weight and four of her five career wins have been in Launceston.
R7 Grenville Stud Class 1 Hcp, 1220m
This field of nine have combined for five wins from 114 starts. GEE GEE MISS QUITA (1) notched one of those victories last time in Hobart. She raced wide but that was no disadvantage with how the track played and that form can be franked in the opening race. PUNK PRINCESS (8) got to the outside and ran on strongly in Hobart, finishing a placing ahead of TWEE (2) who had the poisonous inside draw by the final race. Twee has a 2.5kg swing with Siggy Carr going aboard the Blacker runner. SHAKE YOUR TOOSHY (4) was scratched from Devonport last week. She's a lightly raced 6YO who resumes with a host of gear changes. She's mixed form in her career but has a middle draw and Chelsea Baker in the saddle. Graeme McCulloch has four of the nine runners, three of which are maiden eligible with BAHEERA (9) being the exception. She was in the market here a month ago and it looked as though the rider may have had issues in a recent Devonport trial.
R8 Kachoo Fashion Class 3 Hcp, 1220m
THUNBERG (1) got a nice steer in Hobart to get to the outside from gate 1 but race fitness proved key late when Julius got the better of her. She should take improvement from that and gets in very well with the 4kg claimer going aboard. THELMA (2) has returned from a long layoff with a pair of good runs, being on both ends of two close finishes. Winkers go on her third-up and we will certainly know by race 8 what to make of the inside draw. TERRACOTTA (4) resumes with a decent first-up record and didn't do a lot wrong in her first Tassie prep despite not winning a race. NEV’S BOY (3) has been a sectional star in recent Hobart runs but will be giving a start, particularly dropping from 1430m to 1220m. MILITARY LAW (6) and SEGUIMIENTOS (7) come out of a leader dominated race with both likely requiring a swoopers pattern to get into the race from off the speed. UNDER HIS EYE (9) is a last start winner that may have had his Christmas there but does go well with sting out of the track.
