Emerald Lee Continues On Her Winning Way
Outstanding bitch Emerald Lee ( Paddy's Flame – Inbetween Days) continued on her winning way at the Tote Racing Centre on Monday night by winning the time-honoured $21,540 Illingworth Classic Final (515 metres) in effortless fashion.
The Debbie Cannan prepared bitch began brilliantly from the white box and was never headed, recording a slick 29.67 in defeating arch-rival Jethro (Head Bound – It's A She) by three lengths as a well supported $2.30 race favourite.
Emerald Lee has now won nine of 13 lifetime outings and stakes of in excess of $31,000 and is shaping up as an outstanding prospect.
She has achieved a remarkable record at the Tote Racing Centre, winning all but one of her six starts at the venue and recorded an exceptional 29.58 in winning the Breeders Classic Final on March 26.
The bitch is raced by Cannan, in partnership with Ian Sowell, the son of former leading Ringarooma based bookmaker Allen Sowell.
The trainer had also been sighted in the winners circle earlier in the evening with Katsidis ( Where's Pedro – Paris St Germain), a half relation to the Australian Cup winner St. Pierre, who won the John Lamb Invitation (515 metres).
Meanwhile the classy Black Nitro ( Bombastic Shiraz – Leetyla) maintained his unbeaten Tasmanian record at the meeting by taking out the Di's Grade 4 (515 metres) event in brilliant fashion.
The Paul Hili prepared speedster spread-eagled his opposition, recording a sizzling 29.52 in winning by 10 lengths as an unbackable $1.10 commodity.
Black Nitro has now won his only five starts since debuting in Tasmania on March 16 and has provided the Loira based former Victorian trainer with a wonderful introduction to the local industry.
Moorleah trainer Russell Watts also prepared a double at the LGRC meeting, winning races with Sour Pop (Where's Pedro – Sum Chance) and Tree Bandit ( Pure Octane – Mid City Mandy).
Appreciating the 600 metre trip, Sour Pop was successful in the Ace and Judy Shaw (Grade 4/5) event and Tree Bandit followed up by putting 10 lengths on his opposition in the Shep's (Grade 4) over 515 metres.
Launceston trainer Terry Ackerly opened proceedings by winning the Whitemore Road Juvenile (515 metres) with the bitch Hifive Marsha ( Give Me Five – Mountain Brook), at bolters odds of $26.
In winning the event, the bitch upset a confident betting move for the well related Zorro's Legacy ( Bombastic Shiraz – Fallen Zorro) , which was sent out at odds of $1.70 from the red box.
Hifive Marsha was having her 10th start in a race and had previously been placed on four occasions , appealing as a likely improver.