Racing
Stars show up at Longford trials
Durazzo was brilliant in the Longford trial.
Veteran Devonport trainer Barry Campbell looks set to be a major player in some of the rich races over the Tasmanian Summer Racing Festival.
Campbell took some of his stable stars to the Longford trials on Tuesday and would have left with a spring in his step, well pleased with what he had seen.
Campbell told Tasracing Live last Friday that none of his horses are fully wound-up, but they could not have been more impressive, an ominous warning for their upcoming opponents.
Star 5yo Durazzo was brilliant in his trial, sizzling around the 800m in 45.49 seconds, the fastest of the morning, scoring by 3 1/2 lengths, which could have been much more had rider Kelvin Sanderson desired.
Durazzo, a winner of eight of his 11 starts, is likely to start favourite in the $150,000 Newmarket Hcp (1200m) in Launceston on 21 November.
Campbell would have been equally pleased with his Devonport Cup hopeful Earendel, who ran home nicely to place second to Durazzo.
A lightly raced 5yo who has won four of his six starts, Campbell has long targeted Earendel at the 2026 Devonport Cup (1880m) on 8 January.
Earendel is likely to be racing third-up when he tackles his $125,000 hometown feature.
Mazzini, who has raced only once for a brilliant win on the Devonport synthetic track, looks set to pick up where he left off.
It was the first time Mazzini had been seen in public since he won on debut in June, scoring an effortless 7 1/2 length win.
On Tuesday, Mazzini scored by a length in 45.77 seconds.
Last season's 2yo of the year Sanniya showed she has lost nothing during her spell; she scorched over the 800m, leaving her rivals in her wake, winning by 7 1/2 lengths and running 45.63 seconds.
Sanniya is unbeaten from two starts, including a win in the rich Gold Sovereign on Launceston Cup Day.
Mazzini and Sanniya could meet in the 3yo Cup (1200m) in what promises to be a super race on Newmarket night.
All four horses are raced by Star Thoroughbreds and carry the famous purple with white stars colours. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has a small share in Sanniya.
The four are all Tasmanian bred, Durazzo, Earendel and Mazzini, all sired by Needs Further, while Sanniya is by Stratosphere.
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