Ethical Dilemma surprised most punters but not Longford trainer Peter Luttrell when he stormed home to win the $30,000 Open Handicap at Mowbray on Friday night.
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The six-year-old was a rank outsider at $41 but Luttrell told connections pre-race "don't be surprised if he blows them away."
"I've always had a lot of time for him and he's a super horse fresh," Luttrell said.
"I couldn't get him right last time in.
"I had a lot of problems with him and couldn't keep the weight on him.
"But this time in he's been flying."
Jockey Bulent Muhcu had Ethical Dilemma in fifth place coming to the home turn behind a line of four horses that all gone hard.
When the split came, the fresh horse on the scene was able to dash through and race clear to score by almost a length.
Another longshot Gee Gee Trendsetter also got a split in the straight to run past the leaders and grab second almost two lengths ahead of Deroche.
DI'S FINALLY DANCING TO RIGHT TUNE
It was a case of better late than never when Di's A Dancer opened her account in the Hellova Street Maiden.
Trainer Glenn Stevenson said that he'd expected the mare to open her account at her first start for his stable at Spreyton in July.
"We were pretty keen on her but she missed the start by four lengths," Stevenson recalled.
She failed to win at her next three starts, all on the synthetic track, and was turned out for a spell.
Resuming on Friday night, she stormed home to beat the three other horses in the market, Bell Ringer Boy, Zeva Royale and Shammgod.
And, she was again well backed, firming from $10 to $6 in the TAB fixed-odds market.
"She's always shown a bit but she's been her own worst enemy because she has no gate speed and always gets back," Stevenson said.
"Although we had hoped to settle in the first six tonight, she got back to last but Codi was able to get on the back of the right horse and get a nice cart into it from the 600m.
"It was pretty heady ride actually."
Stevenson said Di's A Dancer had been a slow maturer and would probably be better suited at 1600m and beyond.
The trainer made it a double when High Maintenance, ridden by Ismail Toker, got up in the last stride to beat the heavily-backed Mariposa in the Tshahitsi (Bm62) Handicap.
Toker then brought up a double of his own in the following race when the Peter Luttrell-trained Military Law ran down favourite Laylow Pluck in the Count Da Vinci (C1) Handicap.
GIRL DOMINATES SECOND TIME ROUND
Trainer Stephen Shaw won't be tempted to ask too much too soon of promising filly Dominator's Girl after her win in the Banca Mo 3YO Maiden.
Having only her second start, the daughter of Swinging Bachelor sat outside the leader and, after hitting the front in the straight, held out the favourite Warica who had enjoyed a box-seat run.
Dominator's Girl had been heavily backed at her first start, after an impressive trial, but Shaw said there were excuses for her unplaced run.
"It was a really bad day (weather-wise), it was raining and umbrellas were blowing everywhere, and she got upset her before the race - and, as we all know, you can't upset young fillies," Shaw said.
"We did put a tongue control bit on her today but I don't believe it made a big difference - it just made me feel better."
Shaw said that Dominator's Girl was "a very difficult horse to deal with" and all the credit for her win belonged to jockey Bulent Muchu.
"He has done all the work with her and done a fantastic job," the trainer said.
"She'll go to the paddock now - we were going to press on but Bulent said she's not mentally ready yet and what she's doing, she's doing on raw ability."
DEVONPORT TO HOST BURNIE MEETING
The harness meeting originally scheduled for Burnie on Sunday week has been moved to Devonport.
The Burnie Harness Racing Club decided against holding the meeting due to COVID concerns.
The replacement meeting will stay in a day timeslot with Sky 2 coverage.
Tasracing said that discussions were continuing on the future of the Burnie Cup.