Racing
Tsunami Sam takes Hobart by storm
For the second straight start, six-year-old gelding Tsunami Sam ($4.80) was too quick for his rivals in an open handicap (1200m) in Hobart on Sunday.
Tsunami Sam led from barrier to the winning post in Devonport over 1009m on 15 June, securing the lion's share of a $45,000 purse, and it was a repeat in Hobart with the same prize money on offer.
The win took Tsunami Sam's career earnings past $200,000 while creating a dilemma for his trainer, John Keys.
"He's been brilliant at his past two starts, but he's going to be a hard horse to place now with his rating," said Keys.
From barrier 3, jockey David Pires was happy to take the lead after showing good early speed and continued his affinity with the horse. From five starts aboard Tsunami Sam, Pires has four wins and a second placing.
"It looked like being up on speed was no disadvantage, and Dave just gets on with the horse so well.
"It's one of the challenges in the future, is that we'd likely need to claim to keep the kilos off his back, but we'd prefer to keep Dave on. We might need to give him a break and look at a race like the Goodwood later in the year."
Anyways Roxie ($5.50) chased the winner throughout and was only 0.4 lengths away in second place, while Kaliuwaa Falls ($12) was clearly the best of the closers in third place.
The win of Tsunami Sam secured a double for the Keys stable, after the earlier win of the well-related Mel's Street Above ($7.50) in a 1100m maiden.
The three-year-old filly by Zululand x Butter Street is a half-sister to black-type winners Hellova Street and Streetwise Savoire, and showed similar traits, speeding straight to the front and proving too strong in the run to the line.
Best for last
Two of the most impressive winners on Sunday's nine-event card arrived in the final two races.
Three-year-old filly Silver Dagger ($2.70-$1.80) took her brilliant trial form into a class 4 (1200m), making light work of older horses to win by over four lengths.
Silver Dagger was first-up since a fourth placing in the 2100m Listed Tasmanian Oaks back in February, but she'll be kept to the shorter trips this time around, with a likely next appearance over 1100m in a 3YO Handicap in Hobart on 20 July.
Wineglass Bay ($2.40) made it two wins from as many Tasmanian starts with an effortless win to round out the day in a 1600m open handicap.
Apprentice Jackson Radley had the six-year-old gelding travelling like a winner throughout, and he looks every bit a potential cups prospect next summer after connections paid $45,000 to secure him from the previous stable.
Check out the latest Sydney News