Stop Line Poised For Strong Thousand Showing

TASMANIA'S Stamford family has a three-pronged attack on the rich Group 1 Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand this Thursday night and goes into the final with a record in the race to match anyone.

Jillian and Richard Stamford will be represented in the six box by Leica Prayer (Dyna Double One-Leica Comet) and the eight box by Stop Line (St Pierre-Topline Doovee), while their daughter Sonia Martin has the red runner Atley Quick (Barcia Bale-Double Bogey) as well.

Richard and Jillian have won the Hobart Thousand three times, in 1984 with Double Time, 1990 with Shantytown and in 1997 with Shantung Tiger.

Richard rates Stop Line, fifth behind Leeroy Rogue in the Hobart Thousand Final last year, as the best of the three.

“He's getting on a bit rising four, but he's still racing as well as ever,” said Richard. “And he is drawn well. He was very unlucky last year.”

Of his daughter's hope Atley Quick he says the Ricky Ponting-owned speedster is drawn perfectly but he struggles to run out a strong 461m.

Ponting is on duty in his role as Channel 7 cricket commentator but Richard said “he's always likely to turn up at the track at any time”, especially for such a fabulous final.

Stamford rates this year's Hobart Thousand one of the most open for many years.

“Over the years there have been many with standouts in the final who looked likely to win,” he said. “But this is the most even field for many years.”

He also rates local litter brothers Stanley Gordon and Raging Ralston (My Bro Fabio-Broadway Miss) very hard to toss. They each have run a track record over 461m at Hobart.

“Both are very good dogs and with clear runs will be hard to beat.”

But Stamford gives Tiggerlong Tonk, the fastest heat winner for Victorian trainer Correy Grenfell, the nod as the hardest to beat.

And, this does not even mention superstar Hooked On Scotch, the winner of 10 of his 17 starts and already the Group 1
Adelaide Cup victor and Sandown track record breaker.

Drawn in the two beside quick beginner Atley Quick, the Jason Thompson-trained Hooked On Scotch is placed to improve greatly on his first look at the track.