Two $10,000 races have gone begging at Mowbray on Sunday night due to insufficient acceptors.
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The program was to have included the 3YO Championship and 3YO Fillies Championship but both were deleted after they attracted only five and three acceptors respectively.
Officials anticipated that there may have been a shortage of numbers – not uncommon at this time of the year – and programmed another race to cater for the three year olds that did not get a run.
Most of the male horses entered for the 3YO Championship will run in the backup race but only one of the three fillies accepted.
Last season’s Dandy Patch Stakes winner Usain Jolt is a short-priced favourite in the early market ahead of the lone filly Nances Delight.
The $10,000 Launceston Discretionary is now the feature race on the card and the absence of Pachacuti opens the door for Hugo Play and Im Barney Rubble to fight out the finish.
Hugo Play has been runner-up to Pachacuti at his past two runs and is overdue for a win but the standing start is a query.
The Shelley Barnes-trained eight-year-old has raced in a stand only twice in his 42-start career and missed a place both times.
Im Barney Rubble has to give Hugo Play 10 metres head start but, in contrast, the standing start should hold no fears.
Since joining Beauty Point trainer Troy Hillier, Im Barney Rubble has won a heat and final of the Hobart Cup from behind the tapes.
He was placed behind Pachacuti and Hugo Play in a free-for-all at Mowbray two starts ago then lost his driver in the Devonport Cup after copping a severe check.
Rival driver Paul Ashwood was subsequently suspended for four race dates by stewards for causing the interference.
BURNIE hosts this weekend’s other harness meeting on Friday night featuring the opening heat of the Allen Williams Memorial.
The series has six heats at various tracks around the state leading up to the $10,000 final in Devonport on March 5.
