Boxing Day was traditionally a big day for Tasmanian harness racing, and until 2003 the state held meetings on King Island, a seven-race card at the Royal Showgrounds in Hobart both in the afternoon, and a further seven races at the Devonport Showgrounds that evening, with all meetings drawing large crowds.
A strong crowd is expected to attend the eight-race Burnie card, with the $12,000 North West Plate Final (2180m) is the main race of the evening and is again sponsored by Kevin Redpath for the 15th year.
The recent Burnie meeting on December 12 saw two heats of the series won by the Wayne Yole-trained Can Feel The Fury and Denny, one of three finalists from the in-form Tammy Langley stable, who prepared five winners in Hobart last Sunday.
Denny will start on a 10m handicap, the same mark he had in his heat win, where he started well to finish in the one-out one-back position, and proved too strong late on with a half-head win with Dylan Ford in the sulky.
“He felt like he would win by a margin on the back straight, but he had been out of the winner’s circle for a while and it felt like he had forgotten how to win, so it was good to see him back in form,” said Ford.
“He’s a horse you can put in the race if you have to. It doesn’t help that if a couple at the front can ping away and put you on 10 yards quite quickly, if that happens it’s going to be difficult, but I’d rather follow them (from 10 yards) than try to chase him from the front.”
Langley is also preparing Jilliby Jay Sea, who will be ridden by Todd Rattray, and the Tiarna Ford-driven Done Well in the trainer’s quest for her third consecutive North West Plate Final, after winning Sneaky Peak in 2024 and Impulse in 2023.
The North West Plate Final was first held as the Coastal Plate in 1999, consisting of heats in Burnie and a final at the Devonport Showgrounds before that venue closed as a harness track, with Burnie also hosting the final from 2022.
Only one horse has won two North West Plate Finals, Oneofthelads, and he will aim to be the first horse to win three, from boundary five this year.
Friday’s Burnie program starts at 4:47pm and will be broadcast on Sky Racing 2.
For full race entries, click here.
Through Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
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