Tasmanian harness racing trainer Marc Butler has his sights set on winning the Allen Williams Memorial final at Devonport this Sunday night after his four-year-old Notonasunday scored an effortless all-the-way win in a heat of the series at UBET Park Hobart last night.
Notonasunday showed good gate speed to lead from barrier three and once In front driver Mark Yole rated the gelded son of Aces N Sevens superbly to score by almost five metres from Baldock with Karalta Delux almost two metres away third.
"I bought this horse about six months ago as an entire and for not a lot of money but after a couple of starts I realised he was pinching himself so I had him gelded and he has been different horse ever since," Butler said.
"If he can draw near the inside of the front row in Sunday's final at Devonport he can win."
The Allen Williams memorial series is restricted to maidens and horses that have not won a race that carried more than $3000 in stakes.
The remaining heat winners were Barooga Jezza, Coccinella, Gods Sake, Ductape and Pageantry.
Barooga Jezza won his heat in Launceston last Sunday night producing a mile rate of 2.02.7 with Maybe Charlie likely to make the final in Launceston next Sunday night as one of the four fastest seconds.
Ductape from the Ben Rossendell stable is likely to start favourite in the final on the strength of his impressive heat win in Hobart two weeks ago in which Maravilloso ran second and will more than likely earn a final berth.
The Ben Yole-trained Coccinella also produced a good mile rate of 2.02.2 in winning his heat in Hobart with second-placed Guestamate another likely finalist based on times.
Gods Sake qualified for the final when he won his heat at Burnie where he clocked a mile rate of 2.05.1 and comfortably defeated Art of my Art.
The Grant Hodges-trained Pageantry cruised into the final with a commanding win in his heat in Devonport but clocked a modest mile rate of 2.06.3.
The four fastest second placegetters from the six heats also will tackle the final with the field to be released on Wednesday.
Peter Staples