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Jet takes off in Launceston

3 minute read

Track specialist Geegee Jet By made it six career wins and five at the track when he overpowered the favourite in the closing stages to take the 1200m BM68 Hcp in Launceston on Wednesday night.

Ridden by David Pires, Geegee Jet By ($4.80) travelled strongly behind the speed before grabbing the lead in the last 100m.

Altai Ranger ($2.60) tried to lead all the way, and Verbano ($8.50) showed a win was not too far away with a fast-finishing third.

"Obviously it was a good win last start and another good win today. From an inside alley in a handy little field, we had a lovely run behind, and when the gap opened up around the turn, he found another gear. When he saw daylight, he had a big weight, and he got the job done," winning rider David Pires said.

Geegee Jet By is trained by Stuart Gandy, who is currently in Melbourne with stablemate Geegees Mistruth, who will tackle the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Saturday.

Winning hand

He describes himself as a 'part-time retired trainer' , but Rod Seymour couldn't stop smiling after his handy mare Kings Onside Queens ($14) took out the 1400m Class 3 Hcp.

A little slow out and ridden for a bit of luck by Bulent Muhcu, Kings On Queens edged her way to the outside around the home turn and finished quickly to overhaul Mandate and Asva.

"A bit surprised, actually, she hadn't trialled, and this is only her second run back in, but I'm pretty pleased about it," Seymour said.

"She likes a bit of room; she doesn't like being locked in. Next race a mile, we want to get her up over ground; we think she can get there."

Kings On Queens has won four races from 17 starts. All four wins have been over 1400m.

Mandate ($7.50) battled away strongly, as did Asva ($3), who appeared to have every chance.

Hubba bubba! Win number one

Blinkers first time seemed to do the trick for Hububbajahn in the 1200m Maiden, fighting back strongly after being headed at the top of the straight.

A lightly raced 4YO having just her seventh race start, Hububbajahn jumped quickly and despite some mid-race pressure and looking beaten 200m from home, led virtually all the way.

"She kicked really good in the straight, blinkers on for the first time. She has been a little hesitant around other horses, and she really charges forward when she gets in front, so we thought by getting her to lead she would be really hard to run down," stable rep Harry McShane said.

Hububbajahn ($23) scored by a 1/2 neck from the favourite Skyland ($2.10), who had every chance, as did Celtic Rose ($3.50) in third.

A nice profit if you backed him

Just two races into the program and punters were reeling with another longshot landing the money and the heavily backed favourite managing only to finish second.

Prophet Eyes ($19), after enjoying a good trail behind the speed for most of the trip, eased around the leaders on the home turn, set up a break and scored comfortably from Thonatus ($1.85) with Diamond Sunrise ($34) a distant third.

"Drew a nice gate and I wanted to be positive in the first three or four, worked out really good, plan A worked," jockey Kelvin Sanderson said with a laugh.

"Coming towards the home turn, the leaders were taking me nowhere, and when I did come out three wide, I thought I'll go, and I went quick, opened up a gap."

A 6YO, Prophet Eyes has raced only 13 times, and this was win number two.

Patience pays off

Paulartes ($3.70) suggested a win wasn't far away with a strong Tasmanian debut last month and ran right up to that to break her maiden status, leading for most of the way over 1400m.

Trained by Adam Trinder, Paulartes gave rider Kelvin Sanderson a race-to-race double when she scored by more than a length over Scarletti ($14) and Miss Private ($9) third.

"I thought she got away with a soft sectional from the 1000m to the half-mile, which helped her, but really happy with her; she will probably step out to a mile and be competitive again," Leah Goodrick from the Trinder camp said.

"She's got a good group of owners; they have been really patient with her. She's a five-year-old mare, and I do think there might be another win in her as well."


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