Hellova Street showed an impressive turn-of-foot to record a narrow victory in the 2015 Tasmanian Newmarket Handicap at Launceston last night.
Dean Holland and Scott Brunton combined earlier this year to take out the 2015 Mornington Cup with Banca Mo (pictured). Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Hellova Street took out the Tasmanian Newmarket Handicap last year, but there was not a great deal of betting support for the star sprinter in the lead-up to the 2015 edition of the race and he started on the third line of betting behind the well-backed Geegees Doublejay and Admiral.
Jockey Dean Holland elected to settle Hellova Street just behind the speed in the early stages of the race, but the Helike gelding responded extremely well when asked for an extra effort to finish over the top of his rivals and claim a fighting win from Erin’s Element and Geegees Doublejay.
Hellova Street added a second Tasmanian Newmarket Handicap victory to his victory in the Tattsbet.com.au Stakes (1200m) at Launceston earlier this year and trainer Scott Brunton revealed after the race that he is now eyeing a race like the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide in May with his classy sprinter.
“This horse is an amazing sprinter and his times tell us he would be up to the good ones in Group races across the water,” Brunton said.
“I have always said he has what it takes to warrant a trip away and now maybe I’ll be taken seriously.
“We are considering taking this horse to Adelaide for a Goodwood handicap because he is an ideal horse for that race.”
Hellova Street made his racing debut at Devonport in August of 2013 and he took four starts to record a maiden race win, but he quickly moved his way through the grades in 2015 and he has now stamped himself as Tasmania’s best sprinter.
Admiral returned to the races for the first time since he finished fifth behind Wandjina, Alpine Eagle, Stratum Star and Kermadec in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7 and he was very well-backed in the lead-up to the race.
The son of Mossman was in a beautiful position in the early stages of the race and he looked set to finish over the top of his rivals, but jockey Brendon McCoull was unable to find a run for the four-year-old on the rail and he could finish no better than fifth.
Hellova Street joined Private Enterprise (1970 and 1971), Majestic Master (1967 and 1968), Royal Bard (1935 and 1936), Silver Lake (1916 and 1917) and Hatteras (1904 and 1905) as the only back-to-back winners of the Tasmanian Newmarket Handicap.
