Three-year-old Sweet Lou gelding Didyalousaroosta makes his race track return in Launceston on Friday night.
The Troy Hillier-trained pacer won at the venue on debut in May of last year and was then placed in four of his next five outings, including being runner-up to Hazewillrev in the heat and final of the Cavalor Equicare Sweepstakes in Hobart.
The gelding resumes from a 284-day spell, without a trial, in the Stacey Lear Photography Stakes (1680m) for three-year-old and older pacers with one to two lifetime wins.
“He bumped into Hazewillrev three times last season, and I thought he was a bit disappointing at his last run, but he probably had enough by then.
“I think he is going good. He hasn’t had a trial as I haven’t been able to get there while I have started up a new bakery (The Cupboard Bakery) in Beauty Point, and as I’m there on Saturday mornings, I haven’t been able to get him to the trials. Otherwise, I would have taken him, but he seems to be working well enough,” Hillier said.
The trainer describes Friday’s race as a nice kick-off point. He has booked his brother Rohan to drive from barrier seven.
“It’s a bad draw, but I’ll leave it to Rohan.
“We don’t have any plans with him (going forward). We hope he is one of the better three-year-olds, but because he is Vicbred, there isn’t a lot for him, but if he is going good enough, we will look at sending him over to win his Vicbred bonus,” the trainer added.
The eight-race Launceston card will be shown on Sky Racing 2 and TasracingTV. The meeting commences at 17:25 with the Elders Insurance Launceston Pace (2200m), where My Ultimate Romeo looks hard to beat at a short quote.
Meanwhile at Melton on Thursday night, Tasmanian-bred three-year-old Fighter Command made a winning return from a spell with a 9.8m win in an up to 75 rated event.
The Jess Tubbs-trained pacer led all the way with Greg Sugars in the sulky, and he ran a mile rate of 1:54.6s for the 2040m trip.
The pacer remains $3 equal favourite for the Beautide on 3 August in Hobart, where the winner secures Tasracing’s slot in the TAB Eureka at Menangle on 7 September.
