A TRIP to Victoria to buy a horse truck has turned out to be a profitable venture for Longford owner-trainer Alana Fulton.
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The truck belonged to Warrnambool-based trainer Ciaron Maher and, while she was there, Fulton asked him if he had any horses for sale.
He recommended a lightly-raced mare called Landstar whose only win had been in a Donald maiden.
Fulton bought both the horse and truck and Landstar has since rewarded her with four Tasmanian wins.
The mare had her biggest success to date when she beat Big Time and Musique Player in the $25,000 Tapeta Distance Final at Spreyton yesterday.
The margin was only a head but the performance was good enough for jockey Anthony Darmanin to label her a Devonport Cup horse.
Landstar ran unplaced in last season's Devonport Cup but Darmanin believes she is worth another try.
"She's a better horse now than she was last year," Fulton said.
"So we'll look after her and head that way.
"There's not much about for her in the next few weeks anyway so maybe it's time for a break."
Fulton said that Landstar's greatest asset was that she was "a real trier and very determined".
After finishing a close second to Big Time in the prelude, Landstar met that horse on 5.5 kilogram better terms yesterday.
"The pull in the weights helped and we just needed a bit of luck in the run," Fulton said.
Darmanin gave Landstar a perfect ride, settling in seventh place on the fence and improving with a rails run rounding the home turn.
He then got a split between the leader Makes Cents and the challenger Big Time over the last 100 metres to snatch victory in the last few strides.
Record drive
LIGHTLY-RACED five-year-old Tennessee Drive broke the 1000m track record while winning the Benchmark 72 Handicap.
His time of 58.37 seconds eclipsed the previous mark set by flying mare Arenzano.
Apprentice Bulent Muhcu gave Tennessee Drive a perfect sit behind the leaders before getting a rails run in the home straight.
The gelding burst through the gap and raced away to score by more than three lengths from favourite Geegees Doublejay and Lustica.
Tennessee Drive has now won three of his four starts and was very unlucky on the other occasion.
"He probably should be unbeaten but that's racing," said trainer Troy Blacker.
"He's raced very well here at Devonport so hopefully he can keep doing it when he gets back on turf.
"But he'll probably have a couple of weeks off now to freshen up - he deserves a break."
Tennessee Drive is raced by Blacker's parents George and Marlene and was bought at the Tasmanian yearling sale.
He is by group 1 winner Mr Innocent and is the third foal of Invermay Girl who won five races.
Das an upset
TERRY Roles enjoyed a long and successful career as a professional trainer and, although those days are behind him now, he can still produce a winner.
Roles won the Class 1 Plate with $26 outsider Das Good, one of only two horses he has in training.
"Racing is just a hobby for me now - nursing is my new profession," Roles said.
The trainer said he wasn't expecting too much from Das Good at his third run after a break.
But, despite the gelding's long odds, he wasn't totally ignored by punters. As much as 100-1 was bet by the corporates.
Anthony Darmanin gave the five-year-old a nice run in fifth place before moving around the two leaders on the home turn.
Das Good hit the front at the top of the straight and then held out Weekend Winner by a head.