Sunday afternoon harness racing returns to Hobart for an eight-event program. One of the highlights is the clash of in-form pacers Magic Joe and Settebello in the day’s final race, The Dynamo 15th November Pace (1609m).
Magic Joe proved too slick for his rivals when winning in a 56.8s last-half in Launceston on 20 October before winning again in Hobart on 27 October.
On that occasion, he pushed through from a second-row draw in the 1609m event to race outside the leader and held that position when challenged in the middle stages before proving too tough late in 1:57.8s to the delight of trainer Todd Rattray.
“He has probably deserved those few wins the way he has been going. He has always worked really well at home but has never done it at the races until lately, so hopefully, he can keep doing that.
“He is sort of not a breeze horse, I don’t think. He is quick when he wants to be, so for him to win like that was a pretty good effort,” said Rattray.
Since his most recent win, Rattray took the pacer to the Carrick Park trials last Monday. He qualified the pacer from a stand with some rich targets on the agenda.
“He is getting up in grade now, so we will look at the Country Cups to see if he is up to it. He stepped alright in his trial, but one trial doesn’t make them go away all the time, and I don’t think those longer-distance races would worry him too much. We will just have to wait and see, I guess.
The Roll With Joe entire gets into the 60 to 66 rating event courtesy of Lachlan Dakin’s five-point concession claim.
“There are a couple in there that go pretty well, so he will have to have a good run, I reckon, and if he gets the right run, he should definitely be in the finish,” said Rattray.
One of his rivals is Settebello, who has won at his last two starts, the most recent win coming on 2 November, where he proved too slick after some slow early sections, with Jacob Duggan driving the Wayne Yole trained pacer from the pole draw.
The afternoon meeting will be televised on Sky Racing 1 and Tasracing Live and commences at 13.24.
