With a range of terrific harness racing features taking place across Australia this weekend, including the coveted $200,000 Group 1 SKY Channel WA Derby, many of the nation’s pacing stars will be out on show.
On Friday night fans can catch a glimpse of the brilliant Smoken Up as he contests the $20,000 SEW-Eurodrive Sokyola Sprint (1720m) at Kilmore Tabcorp Park in Victoria.
The Lance Justice-trained and driven super star looks well positioned to break his recent succession of frustrating minor placings to secure his 34th career win as the Tinted Cloud gelding has secured the prized inside running with barrier one.
Sure to start as the hot odds-on favourite, Smoken Up will face some truly classy competitors, including stablemate Our Malabar.
Coming off two successive victories in the Inter Dominion consolation and the Geelong Cup, the son of Live Or Die will be driven by Gavin Lang on Friday night and has drawn barrier four as he hopes to achieve a hat-trick of wins.
Both of Justice’s runners are using the Sokyola Sprint as a preparatory race for the $100,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile, the prestigious invitation only event to be run next week.
Other gun pacers with claims are Karlsruhe out the back in barrier eight who defeated Smoken Up last start and previous Victoria Derby winner Tanabi Bromac in barrier six back from a campaign in the ‘Aple Isle’.
The highlight event of an entertaining nine-race card, the 2010 SEW-Eurodrive Sokyola Sprint is due to jump at 9:12pm as race six. Other features on the night will be the $20,000 Mittys Youthful Stakes (Race 3) and for the trotting enthusiasts the $20,000 Group 3 Uncle Petrika Trotters Free For All (Race 8).
2010 SEW-Eurodrive Sokyola Sprint Final Field & Barriers
Br. |
Form |
Horse |
Trainer |
Driver |
Class |
| 1 | 73232 |
SMOKEN UP (NZ) |
L J Justice | Lance Justice | C25 M20 |
| 2 | 04236 |
NOTASWETHORT (NZ) |
G F Douglas | Daryl Douglas | C13 M4 |
| 3 | 29864 |
BALTIC ICE |
G P Freeman | Chris Alford | C8 M2 |
| 4 | 66511 |
OUR MALABAR (NZ) |
L J Justice | Gavin Lang | C17 M11 |
| 5 | 26609 |
TEE PEE VILLAGE (NZ) |
M Peace | Mark Peace | C17 M10 |
| 6 | 35220 |
TANABI BROMAC |
K P Cotchin | Greg Sugars | C10 M4 |
| 7 | 0215s |
HOLY CAMP BOY |
A L Peacock | Nathan Jack | C12 M7 |
| Second Row: | |||||
| 8 | 86241 |
KARLSRUHE |
D Aiken | David Moran | C12 M7 |
| 9 | 95528 |
JACKSON GRANT |
G F Douglas | Glenn Douglas | C14 M7 |