The state’s leading trainer Ben Yole has his third straight Trainer’s Premiership Title all parcelled up and to cap it off is closing in on his third successive century milestone.
Ben trained 107 winners in Tasmanian in 2015/16 and followed up last season with 124 victories in his adopted state.
On Sunday night in Launceston, the Yole stable applied the polish to four of the seven winners on the card to catapult his winning Tasmanian tally to 98.
When you add the three interstate winners for the season provided by Jeans Mattjesty and Washies Chance the stable tally sits at 101.
“We’ve enjoyed another successful season so far and it was very satisfying to take home four winners from the meeting on Sunday,” said Ben.
“That takes us to within two of the ton locally, I like to look at the Victorian wins as a bonus so we are working off the number of wins for the season as 98 and we are looking forward to cracking triple figures three years on the trot, it would be just reward for our team who have put a lot of hard work in like many other stables around the state.”
Ben’s spectacular night kicked off in style thanks to magical drive on No Apachemee by Rohan Hillier.
“No Apachemee has been a great money spinner for connections, that’s his fourth win for the season, Rohan drove him a treat coming from outside the second line to find a spot behind the leader, only coming off the pegs to sprint over them late,” said a smiling trainer.
Rocknrollhighlight was the second winner for the stable on the night continuing her tremendous form with a narrow but courageous victory over Fortino, she was softened up in the run but still had enough up her sleeve to be lifted over the line by Rohan Hadley to score by a half-head.
“That was her seventh win of the season, we have changed up her training routine and she now does a lot of swimming and she’s improved in leaps and bounds and getting stronger all the time so we will be sticking with the new regime that for sure,” said Ben.
Rohan Hillier landed his second winner for the stable on the programme in race four over 2200-metres when he held up Im Full Tilt for one last crack at them in the home straight.
“Im Full Tilt needs to be smothered up with cover to produce his best, he’s not over ambitious out on his own but does have a sharp sprint which he was able to pull out in the run to the post,” said the Sidmouth mentor.
Four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Fight Fire With Fire mare Ready To Fire made it win number six for the season with a neck win over Aunty Rita after coming from outside the second line.
“She is potentially a very smart type but she also has a mind of her own and can do a few things wrong particularly in the score up so we will continue to work on that issue because if we can straighten that out she will be hard to hold out in any race we find for her,” said Ben looking forward to the future.
With Harness racing in Hobart on Friday and backing up in Launceston on Sunday the Ben Yole stable looks almost certain to crash through the 100 barrier this week and then with 16 meetings remaining in the season set off in search of the stables state record of 124 winners.
Shane Yates