Ryley Major and Harjeet staged a titanic battle down the home stretch in the Stan Leedham Memorial Launceston Mile at the TAB Racing Centre with the Major holding on to win by a half-head.
Ryley Major, Harjeet and Scooterwillrev were having their final hit-out before the heats of the Dakin Refrigeration Easter Cup on Friday night and left nothing out on the track.
The Rohan Hillier-trained and driven Ryley Major (pictured) showed blistering speed from the mobile to lead on his ear from gate seven in the run to the first turn.
“He showed the explosive pace I know he is capable of and crossed them with ease to lead by five or six metres early running a first split 0f 28.8 seconds, he came back to me as I was hoping and travelled well throughout running middle sections of 29.1 and 29.7 so I knew he had something to offer as we swung for home,” said Rohan.
“Down inside the 400-metre mark I would have gone earlier than I did to make it even harder for Harjeet but I had Scooterwillrev on my back and I didn’t want to risk letting him out too early, but “Ryley’ found when I called upon him, it was a fitting finish with two top horses not giving an inch.”
While Ryley Major was free-wheeling out in front Harjeet was warming to the task for trainer-driver Todd Rattray back in the field from his second row draw.
“We had to come five and six wide at the 400 metres and he came into it strongly, I knew we had the task ahead to run Ryley Major down, Harjeet was winding up on the turn and he just kept giving in the run to the post, he drifted to the outside over the final 150 metres and only went down by a half-head to a very good horse in Ryley Major,” said Todd.
“I’m proud of his run and it will top him off nicely for Friday night’s Easter Cup heats, he won the Cup last year and it would be a huge thrill to see him go back-to-back.”
The Craig Hayes-trained Scooterwillrev lost no admirers running a solid third 7.5 metres away.
Ben Yole snared another three winners at the meeting to take his season’s tally to 107 including a victory with Miss Condoleezza ($36.70), the in-form seven-year-old mare going back-to back after scoring in Hobart on Friday night.
Rohan Hillier finished the night with a training double with Awayandrideyourself winning the first to go with Ryley Major’s victory.
Shane Yates