Rohan Hadley showed his expertise in the sulky in Launceston on Friday night landing a winning treble.
Hadley, long regarded as one of the best in the business, plotted a perfect course on 30-metre backmarker Scooterwillrev (pictured) enabling the Craig Hayes prepared Somebeachsomewhere-Karamea Toastime five-year-old gelding to sprint clear of Riverboat Jasper at the top of the stretch to score a runaway victory in the Doug Martin Danbury Park Cup.
“Scooterwillrev is a top line professional racehorse, Craig (Hayes) has him flying at the moment, we got away well off the 30 and were aided by the fact the front line was slowly away and there were no 20-metre runners,” said Rohan.
“We hoped to get a cart into the race from Riverboat Jasper as he is as strong as they come and that’s the way it panned out, Scooter was cruising on the home corner and he has such a paralysing sprint so when I called upon him at the turn it was all over in the twinkling of the eye and he went on to score by a dozen metres (11.8 metres).
Rohan had already lifted his five-year gelding Secluded Beach to its second win in just three Tasmanian starts in a stirring finish over Hez The One.
“I’ve got a big opinion of him, he was formerly trained by John Tapp in New South Wales and Tappy believed he had more than his share of ability as well,” said Rohan.
“I’m confident we can race him through his classes, he has a lot to learn but I believe he has the potential to be right up there with the top free-for-allers in the state.”
Our Wonder Woman was the third winner for Rohan as a driver and the second leg of his training double.
“She has now won two of her six starts and while she didn’t hit the line the way quite I expected I will continue to get more miles in her legs, she will race at Devonport next week and then press on with her campaign, she is almost certain to race at Scottsdale mid-January.”
Conor Crook defied late challenges from Hannah van Dongen and Samantha Gangell to claim the 2018 6ty° Youngbloods Challenge.
Conor all but sealed his rivals fate by finishing second on odds-on favourite Couta Rocks in Heat 5 before clinching the title by finishing fourth with Tisu Bombbelle in the sixth and final Heat.
Hannah van Dongen closed the gap in the opening heat piloting Goggo Gee Gee to victory while Matthew Howlett gained maximum points in the final Heat of the series with the Bianca Heenan prepared $2.20 favourite Twenty Two Karat.
Shane Yates