Former New Zealand jockey Ryan Bishop rode his first winner in Tasmania when outsider Fiveandfurther overpowered her rivals in the Norwood News Maiden at Mowbray on Wednesday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bishop, 32, is on the comeback trail after spending 12 months on the sidelines with a broken ankle.
He came to Tasmania about a month ago to try his luck and is based at Brighton.
After only picking up the ride on the Stephen Lockhart-trained Fiveandfurther on race morning, Bishop made the most of his good fortune to guide the Needs Further mare to a comfortable win at her first start since early February.
After settling midfield on the fence, Fiveandfurther was held up on the home turn but when she got clear in the straight she finished full of running.
It was her first start for Lockhart who said “the further they go the better” for the four-year-old who is out of a Zabeel mare.
Bishop, who has ridden almost 200 NZ winners, said he would “see how it goes” before deciding whether to settle in Tasmania.
SMART sprinter Gee Gee Lanett is on target for a start in the $100,000 Newmarket in a fortnight after a dominant win in the Cressy Newsagency Benchmark 76.
Siggy Carr gave the mare a gun run behind the three speedsters up front before moving three wide on the home turn and sprinting clear.
Trainer Stuart Gandy said he was disappointed with Gee Gee Lanett”s first-up second in Hobart but it was probably his fault.
“I had her a bit big and she got a bit hot,” Gandy said.
“She was super relaxed tonight and got the job done off a hot tempo.
“The Newmarket has always been her main aim this time in so I’ll see if Siggy thinks she’s up to it and plan from there.”
Gee Gee Lanett won by 1-½ lengths from stablemate Happy Halloween with the stayer Speed Force finishing nicely for third.
LIGHTLY-RACED mare Heaven’s Delight sat outside the leader to score a gutsy first-up win in The Examiner (C1) Handicap.
Trainer Gary White said the four-year-old’s return to racing had not been smooth sailing.
“She had a few dramas when she came back in and another one a couple of weeks ago which set her back so it was a good effort to win first-up over 1400m,” White said.
“And, she’ll only improve.
“We’ve got nothing big picked out for her at this stage but sardines are sweet.”
Heaven’s Delight, ridden by Bulent Muhcu, jumped in front but was quickly headed by Bunker Star who led until the dying stages.
Nova Vista came from second-last to pinch second.
