Debate still raging after Tasracing announces end of road for trot races

Tasracing announced last month that the 'trial' run for trotting races that began in July 2018 had shown they were not viable and they would cease to be programmed after October 1.

It's been an emotive subject, with diehard trotting supporters adamant that they haven't been given a fair go and others of the opinion that trotting doesn't have the support of a majority of the industry and the experiment was doomed from the outset.

The opposing points of view are possibly best summed up by recent statements from Tasracing and the Tasmanian Trotting Club.

In announcing the decision on its web site, Tasracing said: "Trotting races in Tasmania have failed to achieve the support from the industry that was hoped for. Although there was strong initial support, the decline has been obvious, specifically over the last seven months, with races being deleted due to lack of nominations and decreased field sizes."

The TTC's response on Facebook was: "Our fantastic forward-thinking Tasracing board and executive have killed off trotters in Tasmania. Should go well for the future of our industry. Let's distance ourselves from the growth part of our racing stock."

The TTC's comments were made on the back of a report that trotting yearlings had topped the averages at a recent standardbred yearling sale in Melbourne.

The deletion of a trot race in Hobart last Friday night due to insufficient acceptors only served to fuel the debate, with supporters stating that it should have been allowed to go ahead with five runners and opponents arguing that the prizemoney could be better utilised elsewhere.

Either way, it raises the question, will trot races even make it through to the end of September? It's looking very doubtful.

Tasmania's boom two-year-old galloper Turk Warrior is still on the market at the right price - but there is no sign of a genuine buyer.

Offers as higher as $850,000 have been reported but trainer Glenn Stevenson said no-one had come forward with the money.

"They're all just trying to get the price down," Stevenson said.

"They say things like he hasn't run any time and all that sort of stuff.

"But he's not there to run time. He's there's to win and if he can do it without being extended, all the better.

"The owner (Seyit Basol) has just said to them, look, if you're not prepared to pay, don't worry about it."

Turk Warrior extended his unbeaten run to five races in Sunday's $50,000 Tasbred 2YO at Elwick.

Stevenson was pleased with the win from two aspects.

"He was still very big, so he's going to take a lot of improvement out of the race, and, after watching the head-on replay, I was really happy with how truly he raced," the trainer said.

"He usually ducks about a bit but he went fairly straight this time."

Daniel Ganderton took the riding honours at Elwick on Sunday when his three winners included the much-maligned Ivoryman.

Ivoryman hadn't won a race for almost 31 months and during that time chalked up 13 minors placings, earning a reputation as a horse that didn't go to the line.

However Ganderton sprung to the defence of the Scott Brunton-trained grey who earlier in his career spent time with Joe Pride and John O'Shea.

"He's not as ungenuine as some people might think - it's just that he's got a very short sprint," Ganderton said.

"I got it a little bit wrong at his previous start but I asked connections to leave me on because I was sure I could win on him."

Ganderton timed his run to perfection on Sunday, only calling on the seven-year-old to extend with about 100m to go.

Star Tasmanian filly Hela clearly wasn't herself when she finished last in Saturday's Australasian Oaks in Adelaide but a post-race veterinary examination revealed no visible abnormalities.

When questioned over her performance, jockey David Pires told stewards that Hela began well and travelled comfortably.

However Pires said that when he asked her for an effort in the home straight, she failed to respond to his riding.

He said she did not let down in her normal manner and she was "disappointing".

Bulent Muhcu was the only jockey suspended at Elwick on Sunday and will miss one meeting for careless riding on The Beekeeper.

He will start his penalty after this week's meeting at Spreyton.

Scott Brunton was fined $500, and partner Tegan Keys $100, for failing to declare their riders by the prescribed time.

In Brunton's case, 12 horses were involved and chief steward Scott Quill said he could have been given an individual fine for each one.

"But we drew the line at $500 as we thought that was an appropriate penalty," Quill said.

Former Tasmanian mare Isibaeva produced a million-dollar race winner in Sydney over The Championships carnival at Randwick.

Her daughter Jamaea, trained by Robert and Luke Price at Nowra, took out the $1.114 million group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes for two-year-old fillies.

The Headwater filly had previously won only a maiden at Kembla Grange but she had been placed at group 3 level.

Isibaeva is owned by Hobart businessman and NSW stud owner Bruce Neill who bred Jamaea and sold her for $130,000.

Longford trainer Ian Hay won 11 races with Isibaeva including the Bow Mistress and she was placed in the Vamos and Newmarket..

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