Two horses from Tactile Farm qualified impressively at the Winton trials yesterday, although both need paperwork to be completed to get final sign off.
Trainer Trevor Proctor says it's just a formality.
Lis Mara mare Tact Maggie paced the 2400 metres in 3-02.7 nearly 9 seconds under the required qualifying time. She won her heat by an impressive nine lengths. She’s out of ten win mare Tact Lizzie.
“She’s like her mother. She relaxes and just keeps trucking on. She does it at her own pace unless you ask her to do something,” said Proctor.
Tact Maggie had been to three workouts before yesterday’s trial, winning twice.
“At the other one she had a gear malfunction and was pulled up. But Brent Barclay (driver) said she was travelling well at the time.”
The other qualifier was Auckland Reactor filly Tact Bess which is named after the matriarch of the Dynes family Bessie Dynes who passed away earlier this year.
Tact Bess won by three and a half lengths with the last 800 metres run in 56.7 seconds.
“She’s more of a sit and sprint type. She’s got a good turn of foot.”
Tact Bess is out of Tact Hayley who has left a host of winners including Tact Lizzie (10), Tact Hayley Jane (10) and Spectactular (8).
The last time Proctor had two handy mares in the stable they both won their first races on the same day. It was at the Invercargill January meeting in 2008 when Tact Aunty won and Tact Lizzie repeated the dose a few races later.
For the first time Proctor has entered a yearling in next year’s sale. He’s by Rock N Roll Hanover out of Tact Lizzie but Proctor says he’s unsure if the colt will make sale day.
“He just has a bit of swelling in one of his hocks so we’ll get it x-rayed. He’s a striking horse. That’s why we entered him in the sale but he may have to come out.”
Two of Tact Lizzie's foals that have raced have been winners. Tact Tate has won fourteen races, eleven in Australia and paced a mile in 1-51.9 while Tact Rousey, which was recently retired, won once here and recorded a further four wins in Australia. Her best mile time is 1-53.2.
Another impressive qualifier at the trials was Washington VC filly Alfie Romeo.
She ran the 2400 metres in 3-01.7; the fastest of the day winning by five and a half lengths. She’s trained by Des Baynes at Browns and is out of the Holmes Hanover mare Holmezy which won seven races for Ryal Bush trainer Hamish Hunter. She ran sixth as a four year old, in the first ever race at the Harness Jewels at Ashburton in 2007.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing