Lightly raced five-year-old gelding All For Dave will be looking to end a run of second placings when he contests the Defibrillator Lodge Pace in Hobart on Sunday night.
The Kelly Reggett-trained pacer has had four runs back from a spell and has been runner-up on each occasion, the most recent effort he was run down in the Sheffield Cup in Launceston last week by Major Davvin.
“In four starts back from a spell, he has shown that he is definitely competitive. It’s only the last few strides he has been picked up.
“It is a harder race on Sunday, and I didn’t expect the Easter Cup winner (The Shallows) only to get 10 (metres). But we will see what he does,” said the trainer.
The gelded son of Stonebridge Regal will be driven by Mark Yole, who has driven the pacer in his two standing start efforts, where he has begun brilliantly on both occasions.
“He has been off the front in both his standing starts and has led both times. So he has proven himself going away, but we know what stands are like, anything can happen.
“It’s only 2090 (metres) on Sunday, so hopefully that’s the difference, and he can hang on.
“The Shallows and Cool Water Paddy are obviously the main two to beat, and it is our first go stepping up to this level, so hopefully we are competitive,” said Reggett.
All For Dave has had 12 starts, four wins, and five second-place finishes. His career has been injury-plagued, and the trainer admits that she still has “issues we have to manage” with the pacer.
Sunday’s nine-race program commences with a two-year-old maiden at 16:55, with the meeting to be shown on TasracingTV and Sky Racing 1.
