Talented Hobart-based reinsman Rodney Ashwood is no stranger to driving multiple winners on a harness racing program but at Luxbet Park in Hobart last Friday night he dominated with three winners on the seven-race card.
He opened his account with a win aboard the Eric Jacobson-trained Rusty Red Comet that stepped cleanly from the standing start and then enjoyed a cozy run on the leader's back.
Ashwood waited until nearing the home turn to push out on the gelded son of Riverboat King and once in clear air the gelding powered home and grabbed victory in the shadows of the post to defeat Pushkin and Be Good Franklin over 2090 metres.
Rusty Red Comet recorded a mile rate of 2.04.5 which wasn't too band from the stand.
Ashwood again teamed up with Jacobson to score aboard War Chest in the C.U.B Pace over 2090 metres.
After facing the breeze to the winning post the last time Ashwood urged his charge forward to assume control and it proved to be the winning move.
War Chest booted well clear at the top of the home straight but he had to pull out all stops to withstand a powerful charge from eventual runner-up Falcon Harry that flashed home to miss by a half-head with Gaggle Coordinator a distant third.
Ashwood ended a great night in the cart by guiding Remember Joe to victory in the Burger Me Campbell Town Claimer over 2090 metres.
Remember Joe was backed in to start the $2.30 favourite and when Ashwood had the gelding settled in the one-out-two-back position punters would have been starting to line up to collect.
When Ashwood was able to avoid a scrimmage leaving the bottom turn the last time Remember Joe quickly raced to the leaders and he went on to record an effortless win over Electric Ollie and Aninchofhislife.
Peter Staples