Leading harness trainer Ben Yole tasted success in another code - this time as an owner - when former NSW gelding Irish Shotgun opened his Tasmanian account in the Class 1 Plate at Spreyton on Sunday.
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Yole races the six-year-old in partnership with thoroughbred hobby trainer Chester Roach who prepares Irish Shotgun and five other horses on Yole's Sidmouth property.
Roach said that another member of the Yole team, Sam Clotworthy, did a good job to find Irish Shotgun for sale online for only $2500.
Clotworthy drives for the Yole stable and works for Roach as a stablehand.
Irish Shotgun, who scored in a three-way photo, was unlucky not to win his previous start when he raced greenly.
"He ducks in a bit otherwise he could have won two in a row," Roach said.
He'll go all day ... he's a Kiwi-bred and his third dam was Melbourne Cup winner Light Fingers
- Irish Shotgun's trainer Chester Roach
"It looked like he was doing it again today but Brendon (McCoull) said he wasn't - it was the horses in front coming out in front of him."
Roach said that, with his low rating, Irish Shotgun should be able to pick up a couple more benchmark 60 races over a bit of ground.
"He'll go all day," the trainer said. "He's a Kiwi-bred and his third dam was Melbourne Cup winner Light Fingers.
"He loves wet tracks and he'd be suited in one of those 2800m races in Victoria but unfortunately we can't get in and out at the moment."
GAFFNEY LANDS ANOTHER QUARTET
A fortnight after landing a career-best four winners, Spreyton trainer Leanne Gaffney did it again on her home track on Sunday.
Gaffney scored with Freelancer and Julius, both ridden by Ismail Toker; Cabarrus ridden by Bulent Muhcu and Barbie's Witness ridden by Brandon Louis.
Julius and Cabarrus are both raced by Star Thoroughbreds syndicates managed by Denise Martin while Freelancer was bought by Martin at the local yearling sale and offered to Bruno Calabro who set up a syndicate to race him.
There were several impressive winners on the day but none more so than Julius who strolled home by three lengths, unextended, to maintain an unbeaten record.
Toker had several looks over his shoulder for dangers but there were none in sight.
Team Wells also landed a double with Devonport Cup aspirant Gee Gee Fiorente and Gee Gees Saint Nik while Brendon McCoull took riding honours with a treble.
McCoull's wins included a runaway maiden success on the Bill Ryan-trained Red Letter Lady who scored by more than four lengths at her first run for 13 months.
LETHAL CHASING LUCRATIVE DOUBLE
In-form greyhound Wynburn Lethal will earn almost $20,000 for connections if she can stretch her winning sequence to six over the next four days.
The Ben Englund-trained bitch is favourite for the Illingworth Classic final at Mowbray on Monday night which carries a first prize of $14,145.
She will then take on an elite field in the Tasmanian Sprint Championship in Hobart on Thursday night when the winner takes home $5030.
Wynburn Lethal won her Illingworth heat by six lengths in 29.70 while Winklee Casey got home by a length in 29.92 in the other heat marred by late interference.
Punters who back Wynburn Lethal this week will be hoping she begins well from the outside draw.
When she drew box 8 three starts ago, she was last to begin and forced wide on the first turn before running down Tah Matt in the closing stages.
In contrast, she jumped in front from box 5 at her next run and, after being headed by Fabulous Baroque turning for home, fought back for a narrow win.
In last week's heat, she again began well from box 2 and was in front by the first turn before bolting in by six lengths.
Dilston trainer Pat Ryan will be one person hoping Wynburn Lethal doesn't begin as quickly in the final as his two runners Handsome Prince and Ava Wine will both be strong late.