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 34^th 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

Ten exciting three-year-old fillies are lining up in the 2010 Tasmanian Oaks including improving Courage Under Fire filly Maggie Kennedy drawn in the prized “pole”, consistent daughter of Modern Art Artistic Queen in barrier five and the speedy Bebop due to be ridden by Greg Sugars from the far-back-row barrier ten.

Sensational Queensland pacer Lanercost in the Tasmanian Derby will draw the crowds to Hobart’s twilight meet on Sunday

But it is the sensational Queensland pacer Lanercost in the Derby who will be drawing the crowds to Hobart’s twilight meet on Sunday. The Darrel Graham-trained and driven star has been seemingly unstoppable in his short career, boasting one of the most impressive and imposing winning strike rates of any three-year-old.

The son of Courage Under Fire has won 14 of his 17 starts, placing second twice and third once, never finishing out of the money to date.

In sensational form coming off his maiden Group 1 victory in the Tasmania Australian Derby last weekend, Lanercost is looking to come home to the Sunshine State a dual Group 1 winner and with just six rivals willing to face off against him on Sunday he looks well placed to do just that.

Lanercost has drawn roughly mid-field in barrier five and hopeful pacers he will face off against include Mapua Legend in the coveted barrier one, Bells And Whistles in barrier three and Gedlee in barrier seven.

But considering Lanercost defeated four of his six rivals in the Tasmanaia Australian Derby last start – Gedlee 2^nd, Mapua Legend 4^th, Ogrady 6^th, Bells And Whistles 7^th – there is little chance of an upset on Sunday.

The other feature at the meeting is the Listed $25, 000 Metropolitan Cup (Race 5 – 7:29pm) featuring the likes of Tanabi Bromac (Barrier 11), the Grant Campbell-trained and driven Shardons Rocket (Barrier 10) and the ever consistent Babyitsu (Barrier 6).

The SEW Eurodrive Tasmanian Oaks is scheduled as race six at the meeting’s elite nine-race card starting at 7:58pm while the SEW Eurodrive Tasmanian Derby will run as race eight at 8:53pm.

2010 SEW Eurodrive Tasmanian Derby Final Field & Barriers:

2010 SEW Eurodrive Tasmanian Oaks Final Field & Barriers:

This year the SA Graduate pace has attracted ten talented two-year-olds including the two heat winners from last week Let Memphis Loose and Farmerstradies.

The David Murphy-trained and driven Let Memphis Loose has drawn barrier five in the final as the promising Village Jasper gelding aims for his second win from just four race starts. His heat win last week showed off his ability as he came from the second row to claim an emphatic 12.6m victory ahead of many classy rivals.

Winner of the first heat last week, Farmersntradies will start on the direct outside of Let Memphis Loose on Saturday jumping from barrier six and will be driven by Paul Cavallaro.

Another exciting chance in the SA Graduate is potential pacing star Vinnies Legacy drawn ideally in barrier two. The Modern Art filly won on debut two starts ago before placing second to Farmersntradies last week.

On Saturday Vinnies Legacy will be driven by big race specialist Mark Webster and is well positioned to claim her second career win.

The Frank Cavallaro-trained Vinnies Legacy is bred by one of South Australia’s premier breeders Clarenden Standardbreds who have previously bred four of the last seven SA Graduate winners – Miss Holland (2003) who is Vinnies Legacy’s dam, Typical Jasper (2005), Oztreos (2006) and Lend Us A Score (2007).

The 2010 SA Graduate 2YO Final is scheduled as race five at the Globe Derby meeting’s quality nine-race programme on Saturday and is due to jump at 7:55pm.

2010 SA Graduate 2YO Final Field & Barrier Draw:

It was an intense and extremely close finish with less than ten metres separating all 11 horses at the end.

Lance Justice’s talented six-year-old Live Or Die gelding Our Malabar ($4.80) ran an impressive race out wide to narrowly beat home the odds-on favourite Tanabi Bromac ($2.60) by 1.5m with Notaswethort ($5.60) less than a meter further back in third.

The speedy Make Waves had a sensational start to the race and held the lead nearly all the way. By the second quarter he was three lengths ahead of the favourite Tanabi Bromac, but in a brilliant display of determination and ability the defending champion Our Malabar hooked out four wide and made his move.

A bunched up field raced down the home straight with Tanabi Bromac putting the challenge onto Make Waves, and the favourite made it to the front with only 100m to go. But Our Malabar raced up the outside to secure the victory in the final few metres with Make Waves getting pushed back to just finish out of the money in sixth.

It was Melton-based trainer Justice’s third Geelong Cup victory as he also won back in 2004 with Sokyloa. He also took out a hat-trick of wins at the meeting on Saturday night as Our Malabar’s win followed those of Dominus Vobiscum in the Geelong Guineas and The Evangelist in the Bendigo Bank C1 Final earlier in the night.

Running a 1:59.5 mile rate on Saturday night, Our Malabar has now saluted in 25 of his 92 career starts for over $340, 000 in prizemoney.

Our Malabar’s next black type start will be in the $50, 000 Group 2 Mildura Cup on April 10 ahead of the big goal, the $100, 000 Group 1 Len Smile Mile on April 23.

2010 Geelong Cup Results

The 2130m mobile start feature has a quality field of three-year-olds keen to secure a Group race victory including the brilliant Ross Olivieri-trained Crombie.

Drawn in barrier six and due to be driven by reinsman Mark Reed, Crombie is coming off an impressive succession of five victories, the Life Sign colt sure to start as one of the favourites.

One of Crombie’s biggest threats on Friday night comes from his stablemate Dasher VC in barrier eight.

The lightly raced Washington VC gelding has a remarkable record to date having won five of his six career starts and placed second in the other, his most recent four wins in WA for Olivieri following his short career in New Zealand.

Dasher VC will be driven by Chris Lewis in Caduceus Club and has drawn barrier eight.

Olivieri is aiming at his second Caduceus Club victory following his success in 1998 with Saab.

The less than ideal barrier draw for the sensational stablemates means there is a chance for their rivals to get the better run in on the night, with classy pacers including the David Thompson-trained David Hercules, Criminal Minds and last start winner Franco Jazzman drawn well in barriers one, two and four, in that order.

Gary Hall Senior’s Live Or Die gelding Why Live Dangerously (barrier two) will also be drawing lots of attention on Friday night as he makes his Australian race debut.

Other exciting contenders in the event include the consistent Chillin Dylan and Lombo Navigator, drawn wide with barriers 10 and 12 respectively.

The 2010 Caduceus Club 3YO Classic will run as race seven on the night’s bumper ten-event card and is due to commence at 8:45pm.

Another great pacing event to keep an eye on this weekend is the $25, 000 Listed Geelong Cup on Saturday night.

A great 11-horse field is set to fight it out in the 2010 Geelong Cup including two of Geoff Webster’s pacing stars Tear It All Away and Mister Anthony, who Webster will drive, in barriers four and six respectively.

Also engaged in the Cup is defending champion, the Lance Justice trained and driven Our Malabar in barrier nine, the Live Or Die gelding coming off a last start victory in the Watpac Inter Dominion consolation.

If Our Malabar finds success on Saturday night he will become the first ever horse to win back-to-back Geelong Cups.

Trainer Glenn Douglas has Jackson Grant and the talented Notaswethort starting from the top two barriers on Saturday night, while the fast paced Make Waves will jump from barrier three.

Also worth keeping an eye on in the Geelong Cup is Ti Vogliobene in barrier seven, the David Aiken-trained Karlsruhe in barrier eight and Tanabi Bromac in the far outside barrier 11.

The Geelong Cup will jump at 9:32pm as race seven on Saturday night at Geelong.

2010 Caduceus Club 3YO Classic Final Field & Barriers

2010 Geelong Cup Final Field & Barriers

Last week the preliminary heats were held with the favourites reigning supreme in three of the races, but a few surprise roughies stepping up to fill the minor placings ahead of their higher seeded rivals.

The top 10 pacers at the end of the night will get their chance at the $1million final on Sunday March 7 at Menangle.

ID10 Heat 5:

The first Qualifying heat this Saturday night sees last week’s Heat 1 winner Atomic Arc jump from barrier four. Atomic Ark caused the upset of the preliminary heats when the $25.70 outsider narrowly beat home the $2.50 favourite Changeover by a half neck with I Am Sam ($8.70) in third.

Despite their win last week, the Natalie Rasmussen-trained gelding looks outclassed this week and will need a whole lot of luck to finish in the top two and move on to the final.

Atomic Arc faces some strong competitors including the Barastoc Grand Circuit winner Washakie who ran second to Bondy in heat four last week. Prepared and driven by John McCarthy, Washakie has drawn wide for Saturday’s run starting from barrier ten.

Others to watch in the first heat this week include the Lance Justice-trained Smoken Up, drawn ideally in barrier two and Mark Peace’s Cincinnati Kid.

The talented Smoken Up ran third to Blacks A Fake last week while it was a slightly disappointing finish Cincinnati Kid in the third preliminary heat when they ran a well beaten fifth to Monkey King.

Smoken Up is likely to start as the favourite in the opening heat and his blessed barrier two start should be a breeze in comparison to his inside back row draw last week.

ID10 Heat 6:

Lining up in the nine-horse second Qualifying heat on Saturday night is the stunning winner of heat 4 last week, the David Butt trained and driven Bondy. The Live Or Die gelding has won 22 of his 41 career starts and has displayed impressive recent form winning his past three successive races. The Hunter Cup winner Bondy has drawn ideally in barrier two.

Bondy currently sits second on the ID10 points tally with 15.

Starting on the outside of the sure to be favourite is the Keith Cotchin-trained five-year-old Tanabi Bromac in barrier three. The classy Victorian, currently ranked equal ninth with 10 points, ran a crafty third in their heat last week behind the overall ID10 points’ leader Monkey King, and will be ridden on Saturday by champion reinsman Greg Sugars who replaces Gavin Lang.

Other in-form pacers engaged in the 9:00pm heat include the consistent Changeover in barrier six and Gavin Lang’s Sammy Maguire in barrier four.

ID10 Heat 7:

The third heat this Saturday sees the gifted Monkey King starting from barrier three. Monkey King is currently the highest ranked Inter Dominion contender with 17 points and the odds-on favourite to take out the 2010 series. The Sands A Flyin gelding looks well positioned to lead all the way on Saturday night as his brilliant barrier draw and sensational gate speed should see him hit the front early.

Victorian I Am Sam is also running in the 9:30pm heat and has drawn well in barrier two. The giant Alan Tubbs trained pacer ran third last week behind Atomic Ark and Changeover but faces a tough field this round.

Drawn on the far outside in barrier ten is Karloo Mick while Our Awesome Armbro, a runner-up last week, stands a solid chance after securing barrier one.

ID10 Heat 8:

The final heat at Harold Park this Saturday features another star studded field, headlined by Blacks A Fake. Trainer-driver Natalie Rasmussen will be aboard the Fake Left gelding for the second-round following their success in the second heat last week. Blacks A Fake is seeking their fifth consecutive victory, but has drawn wide with barrier nine.

The other quality runner in the 10:00pm heat is Mr. Feelgood in barrier five, but no matter what the quality of rivals, they will have a hard time defeating the three time Inter Dominion champion Blacks A Fake.

The four second round Heats for the 2010 Inter Dominion are scheduled as races four (8:30pm), five (9:00pm), six (9:30pm) and seven (10:00pm) on Saturday night’s bumper nine-race programme.

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 5:

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 6:

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 7:

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 8:

Four $40, 000 heats for the prestigious series will run and feature star-studded fields packed full of the nation’s most impressive and elite pacers.

All the big names will be there with Heat 1 looking to be the event of the night featuring I Am Sam drawn well in barrier one; the super consistent Karloo Mick in barrier three; in-form pacer Changeover in barrier six aiming for their fourth win from six starts; and the brilliant American-bred colt Mr Feelgood out wide in gate ten.

The second heat will be another hotly contested affair with the Natalie Rasmussen trained and driven star Blacks A Fake in barrier four coming off three successive wins; the Gavin Lang’s classy Sammy Maguire in barrier seven; and the prolific Lance Justice trained Smoken Up in the back row barrier eight.

Heat three sees the fantastic New Zealand pacer Monkey King (br.4) come up against the likes of Cincinnati Kid (br.5) and Tanabi Bromac (br.6) in a top class front row full of in-form runners in for a real chance not only in this heat but the series overall.

Finishing off with Heat 4, punters have another thrilling matchup on their hands with John McCarthy’s Washakie in barrier seven, the consistently good Bondy drawn well in barrier two and other great pacers including Western Cam in barrier five fighting it out to qualify for the next round.

The 2010 Watpac Inter Dominion Championship heats will run as races 4 – 7 on the meeting’s fantastic nine race programme and will commence at 8:00pm (NSW time).

The winning Live Or Die gelding trained by Keith Cotchin started at odds of $5.10 and defeated Cincinnati Kid ($6.10) by four metres with Geoff Webster’s Tear It All Away ($18) a head back in third.

Karloo Mick, the $3.60 favourite, could only manage fourth place despite unleashing a powerful run in the third quarter on the outside.

Tanabi Bromac, driven by star reinsman Gavin Lang, was the outside leader after starting from barrier four, then in the final lap at the 1800m mark he moved up to front-runner Jackson Grant before snaring the lead on the last turn.

Jackson Grant eased off in the final straight coming in seventh.

The victory was Tanabi Bromac’s 17^th win from his 40 career starts and brought his lifetime stakes earnings to $339 040.

Tanabi Bromac is now heading towards the prestigious $400 000 BIG6 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley on February 6 after twice winning races that exempt him from ballot for the prestigious feature.

The other two feature pacing events of the night were the $25 000 Listed The Lombo 2YO Finals (1609m). The Fillies Final ran first and was taken out by Radical Calza while Our Ponzi claimed victory in the Colts & Geldings The Lombo.

2010 Shepparton Cup Results:

A line up of the country’s top pacers are ready to do battle in the 2690m standing start event, which has become quite an open affair after a number of the leading contenders have drawn wide.

The highly fancied  Geoff Webster-trained Mister Swinger, dual winner of the Barastoc Grand Circuit, will start from barrier nine just on the outside of the other Grand Circuit champion lining up in the race, Power Of Tara (br.8).

Mister Swinger is one of two entries in the Shepparton Cup for Webster, the other being Tear It All Away, the son of Armbro Operative having drawn far better in barrier two.

Other talented runners starting wide include Tanabi Bromac (br.11) coming off a last-start win in the Horshamp Cup and Ohoka Nevada (br.10). Both starting 10m off on Saturday, these two also share another common factor; they are the only horses of the Shepparton Cup field guaranteed a start in the coveted $400 000 Group 1 BIG6 Hunter Cup.

The winner of the Shepparton Cup is exempt from ballot for the BIG6 Hunter Cup, and with a number of runners keen for the exemption, it will be a tough race.

Currently installed as the odds-on favourite, however, is in-form nine-year-old Karloo Mick who has had sensational success recently, winning three of his last five starts and coming second in the other two.

The ever consistent Panorama gelding still has a lot of work to do however as he starts from barrier 12 in only his second start in Victoria.

Trained by Barry Lew, Karloo Mick is one of the most popular pacers taking to the field on Saturday night and has received quite a following of fans over his imposing 116 career starts.

The other two highlight pacing events at the meeting will be the $25 000 Listed The Lombo Finals. The 2YO Fillies Lombo will run as race two at 7:00pm (VIC time), followed by 2YO Colts & Geldings Lombo Final as race eight at 10:00pm (VIC time).

And trotting fans will be eager to see race five at 8:30pm (VIC time), the $30 000 Group 2 Aldebaran Park E B Cochran Trotters Cup (2690m) featuring the likes of Sundons Gift, Acacia Ridge and In Pursuit.

You can catch the star pacers in action at 9:30pm (VIC time) when the Neatline Homes Shepparton Gold Cup, which is the 14^th race in the 25-leg Choice Hotels Country Cups Carnival, takes place as race seven on the night’s elite nine-race programme.

Shepparton Race Programme – Saturday January 23, 2010:

2010 Shepparton Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

The ever-improving five-year-old Tanabi Bromac’s ($3.80) early lead was never contested and he went on to cross the line nearly seven metres ahead of Tear It All Away ($15.20) with Notaswethort ($6.50) in a determined third place following their bad start from the barriers, ahead of the $3.50 favourite and last year’s winner I Am Sam in fourth some 12 metres back from the winner.

The Live Or Die gelding trained by Keith Cotchin and driven by in-form reinsman Gavin Lang clocked a mile rate of 2:00.2 over the 2700m standing start event, breaking the track record previously held by I Am Sam by 1.6 seconds. I Am Sam set the track record with his win in the race last year before he backed-up with a second placing in the coveted BIG6 Hunter Cup. The win was Lang’s fifth Horsham Cup victory.

An ideal lead-up to the BIG6 Hunter Cup, Tanabi Bromac now looks well placed to play a significant part in the $400 000 Group 1 feature at Moonee Valley on February 6 from which his Sunday night win has earned him exemption.

Another highly fancied runner in the Horsham Cup, Maffioso ($5.20) finished a dismal 11^th after surrendering their early lead. A vet’s examination after the race resulted in Maffioso being stood down for 30 days.

Also, the great trotting action over the weekend finished up on Sunday at the same meeting with the feature $10 000 Horsham Trotting Cup taken out by long-priced outsider Sharendoo Lass ($19).

2010 Horsham Pacing Cup Results: