Star Tasmanian stayer Eastender to wait for 2020 Melbourne Cup

Eastender, the first horse in 42 years to complete the Devonport, Hobart and Launceston cups treble, was expected to be aimed at the Melbourne Cup in November.

But, he was a notable absentee from the entries for the big race when they were released last week.

Managing owner Denise Martin said on Monday that Waller had decided the 2020 Melbourne Cup was a more suitable target.

"Eastender hit the running rail at Randwick at his only start (in Sydney) and, while he did no damage, Chris thought he'd be better having a good break in the warm weather because he did a huge job off a long preparation over the last spring and summer," Martin said.

"Chris said that he'll prepare the horse for the Sydney Cup in the autumn where he'll be well suited.

"Then there will be plenty of time for a Melbourne Cup next year now that we know he can race at a higher level than we ever expected."

Eastender ran third in the $400,000 Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington in May behind Steel Prince and Surprise Baby who are both high up in Melbourne Cup betting.

The North West Greyhound Racing Club has made radical changes to its feature event this season, with a new name, sponsor and timeslot.

The Devonport Cup, traditionally run in January, is no more. It has been replaced by the Devonport Chase to be run in November/December.

The new race will be sponsored by Ladbrokes which in July signed a deal with Tasracing to become the racing industry's exclusive venue and major raceday partner for at least the next three years.

Local firm Dowling McCarthy Tyres has sponsored the Devonport Cup for many years.

The Devonport Chase will retain the cup's group 3 status and will still be worth $25,000 to the winner.

Heats will be conducted in the club's normal Tuesday afternoon timeslot on November 26 but the final will move to a Friday twilight timeslot on December 6.

It's anticipated that meeting will run from about 4pm until 7.30pm, depending on Sky Channel programming.

Betting turnover usually rises in the late afternoon to early evening timeslot - sometimes referred to as the pub zone - especially on Fridays.

Corykodi, owned in Queensland and prepared by a Hobart hobby trainer, will go down in history - for the time being at least - as the last Devonport Cup winner.

Corykodi gave Lauderdale-based trainer Eric Haldane his biggest success in Tasmania since he won the 1993 Launceston Cup with Wary's Desire.

Former Devonport-based apprentice Raquel Clark has made a cleansweep of the South Australian racing awards for 2018-19.

Clark, 26, picked up all six awards available to jockeys and apprentices on metropolitan and provincial tracks and was the overall jockey of the year.

It was the second season in a row that she has won the apprentice of the year award.

"I've had a massive year, definitely the best year of my career to date," Clark said at the presentation dinner on Saturday night.

"Having the support of the industry behind me has played a big part in that, so it's rewarding to get this recognition and to have my name up there alongside racing legends.

"I see these awards as an incentive to work harder - to push towards bigger and better things."

Clark moved to Adelaide in March 2017 to continue her apprenticeship with leading trainer Leon MacDonald.

At the time, she had ridden 90 winners in Tasmania and out-ridden her claim.

Clark rode 140 winners last season to finish fourth on the national premiership.

Tasmania's leading female harness trainer Bianca Heenan has been fined $1000 after one of her horses tested positive to cocaine.

However stewards suspended the fine for 12 months on condition that she doesn't breach the prohibited substance rule again.

The Heenan-trained Twenty Two Karat returned a positive swab after winning at Mowbray on April 28.

Heenan, who also owns a 50 per cent share of the horse, told the stewards' inquiry that she had no knowledge of how Twenty Two Karat was exposed to cocaine.

She presented the names of those who had handled the horse on raceday, and the day prior, and said was was "not aware of any of those mentioned having a drug habit."

Heenan said it was stable policy that staff washed their hands prior to touching any of her horses but admitted she couldn't guarantee that practice was adhered to when she wasn't present.

She said no-one resided at her training property, implying that someone could have entered without her knowledge.

Stewards said they had considered similar drug cases on the mainland (both in harness and thoroughbred racing) when determining penalty.