Hobby harness racing trainer Ben Rossendell has a big opinion of his three-year-old Ductape so it came as no surprise that the gelding emerged triumphant at his first start for the season at UBET Park Hobart last night.
With talented novice reinsman Matthew Howlett in the sulky, Ductape delivered a brilliant performance to score by almost seven metres from Maravilloso with about the same margin to Penny Will Play in a heat of the Allen Williams Memorial over 2090 metres.
Ductape showed great promise last season in good quality two-year-old events without winning from eight starts.
"Ductape did a great job last season and was probably unlucky not to win a couple of times," Rossendell said.
"I have a good opinion of him and I expect him to come into his own this season."
Ductape (Sutter Hanover-Elsunola Babe) settled last from his wide front row draw (6) and Howlett waited until the bell lap before making his move.
The three-year-old gelding worked gradually around the field and joined the leader War Chest nearing the home turn before forging clear in the home straight.
Ductape covered the 2090 metres in 2m.39.31s for a mile rate of 2.02.67 and covered his last 800 metres in 59.03.
Rossendell made it a double when his former Victorian gelding Warrior Mac won a C1 over 2090 metres.
Warrior Mac had not started since July last year and had not been to the trials but with the run of the race in the one-out-one-back position he packed too many guns for his rivals to score by almost a metre from race leader Threestones with Robert Moreau over four metres astern.
"I bought this horse in Melbourne last year but he had a bit of a rough trip over in the float so after a couple of runs I had to tip him out and start again," Rossendell said.
"It took a while to get him going but we finally got there.
"He isn't blessed with a lot of talent but if I keep him in this sort of company he's capable of winning a couple more," he said.
Peter Staples