Hobby trainer Tony Vivian-Smith celebrated his first success when his charge Romary led throughout under Lauryn Bingley in a benchmark 68 handicap over 1400 metres at Launceston on Wednesday night.
The daughter of Puissance De Lune began her career in Victoria with Adrian Corboy, for whom she was unplaced from three attempts, but she quickly found form once moved to Tasmania in the care of John Luttrell.
She was narrowly denied at her local debut in October 2021 before notching five consecutive wins.
Now seven, the mare was having her fourth outing for Vivian-Smith (who also owns her) on Wednesday night. She’s now had 36 starts overall for 11 wins and seven minor placings.
Her win supplied Bingley with a running double as she’d won the previous on the Adam Trinder-trained Bine, who chased tearaway leader Wheeling before scoring a narrow win over fast finishers Warica and Golden Meadow in the Class 5 handicap over 1100 metres.
The Needs Further mare was heavily backed, firming from $2.10 to start the $1.75 favourite, and has built a great record over Wednesday’s course, having only missed the quinella once from seven attempts.
Victorian hoop Liam Riordan shared riding honours with Bingley, kicking off with the Matthew Brown-prepared Hurricane Ketut ($6) in the maiden/Class 1 plate over 1600 metres.
It was a clever ride by Riordan, who settled back on the Toronado gelding before looping the field prior to the home turn, going on to score a comfortable 2¼-length win over short-priced favourite Hububbajahn, who was strung up in traffic when the winner made his move.
Riordan completed his double aboard the John Keys-trained former Queenslander Ashfall, who made it two wins from his past three outings with a hard-fought victory in the benchmark 68 handicap over 1600 metres.
The gelded son of The Autumn Sun was also well found by punters, shortening from $2.35 to $1.90.