Despite doing plenty wrong Stuart Gandy’s highly promising charge Geegees Gemstone remained on his rapid rise through the grades when taking a benchmark 76 handicap over 1100 metres at Launceston on Wednesday night.
Regular fly-in hoop Anthony Darmanin found himself three wide outside the leaders in the small seven-horse field early on and when restrained to find cover the Alpine Eagle geldinf raced  ungenerously. However, Darmanin soon got his mount back into a rhythm and despite laying in badly on the eventual placegetters late Geegees Gemstone was drawing away from his rivals on the line.
Gandy’s charge is unbeaten from three runs this term and with continued development could measure up to the highest level locally.
Siggy Carr and John Blacker took training honours at the meeting, each notching a brace of wins.
Dual licence-holder Carr rode both her winners, kicking off with former Victorian mare Lovin’ Bev, who followed her dominant all-the-way maiden win by again leading throughout in the Class 1 handicap over 1400 metres.
Carr’s second win came in contrasting fashion, with progressive mare Swoop There It Is sitting at the tail of the field before improving at the 600m mark and sustaining a long run to take the benchmark 64 handicap over 1600 metres.
Blacker bookended the meeting with a pair at healthy prices.
Lightly raced mare Mindful caused the upset of the night when taking the opening event on the card, a maiden plate over 1400 metres, coming from just off the pace to score comfortably under stable apprentice Jackson Radley.
The daughter of Alpine Eagle had shown ability on occasions but had proved tough to follow, so much so that she paid almost $50 on the local tote.
Blacker took the last, a benchmark 60 handicap over 2100 metres, courtesy of a clever ride by Craig Newitt.
In a race devoid of pace on paper Newitt took his mount Doonican ($14) straight to the front and controlled the tempo. The result was never in doubt, with the gelded son of No Nay Never lasting by a half-length over the fast-finishing Kay Oh Ell.