Well bred two-year-old pacer Hillview Jake gave New Norfolk harness racing trainer Paul Hill successive wins in the Island Block & Paving Golden Slipper (1680m) when he led throughout to take out the prestigious juvenile event at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight.
With champion Victorian reinsman Gavin Lang in the Sulky, Hillview Jake ($3.50) showed good early speed to lead from gate three after a stoush with the odds-on favourite Soho Shanghai ($1.50) and they cleared out from the rest nearing the home turn the last time.
The son of Cardmaster Hanover was always travelling like the winner and had no trouble holding the favourite at bay all the way up the home straight.
The mile rate for the 1680 metres was a good 2:00.1
Hill won the race last year with Jerrys Jet that he says is the best two-year-old he has ever trained.
"Hillview Jake is not as good as Jerrys Jet was at this stage of his racing career but he's the next best I've ever trained," Hill said.
"His work through the week was outstanding and I told Gavin (Lang) that if he led tonight they wouldn't beat him and that's how it panned out," he said.
Lang was upbeat about the two-year-old's future.
"He is quite a big horse that did what he had to do to win tonight," Lang said.
"I had to burn him up early to lead but he came back to me quickly and was very strong on the line so I'd say he has a future," he said.
Peter Staples