Multiple country cup winner from earlier this season, Pardoe Plugga ($8.50), was the first horse to qualify for this week’s Group 3 Nutrien Ag Solutions Tassie Golden Apple (2200m), with an all-the-way win in the first heat in Launceston on Sunday night.
Driver Todd Rattray got Pardoe Plugga away well to lead, where they dictated affairs in a 46.1s lead time before running quarters of 31.0s, 30.3s, 28.0s and 27.2s to record a half-head win over Gleneldi Elvis ($3.80) and Just Tiger ($4) in a mile rate of 1:59.0s.
“I think he is a better horse when sat up, but when you step like that, what do you do,” said Rand post-race.
“His (standing start) manners were ordinary early in his career, but with the interval training that I do with him, he has got to stand, and he has got used to that over the years.
“He has pulled up well. I did a bit with him today, and hopefully we get him to the final in good nick,” Rand said on Monday.
The win was the 12th at start 45 for the eight-year-old gelded son of Western Edition, who didn’t start racing until he was four.
Rand got the horse as a late two-year-old, who took a while to come to hand. When ready to go as a three-year-old, he was sent to the paddock while Rand overcame a heart attack.
While he won the then Group 2 Raider Stakes at his third race start, he was put back in the paddock with a tendon injury.
Heat two was won by the Emma Stewart-trained 30m backmarker Beyond Delight ($4.20) and did so in track record time.
The mile rate was 1:57.2, 0.2 seconds faster than the previous record held by Blitzern, who started off 10m when winning the Golden Apple in 2022.
Driven by Tiarna Ford, Beyond Delight stepped safely off his handicap and ended up settling one-out and three-back before being let down three wide just past the 800m.
The Bettors Delight entire put up a great battle with third placegetter Magnetic Terror ($7.50) over the final 500m before The Croupier ($31) flashed home late to split the pair in the second spot, to be defeated a short-half head.
The Nutrien Ag Solutions Tassie Golden Apple Final will be held in Launceston this coming Sunday afternoon.
