Cannan's Hobart Winning Quartet

MANGALORE trainer Debbie Cannan kicked off Tasmania's new racing season in stunning fashion on Thursday night, with four winners on the 11-race card at Hobart, led by star sprinter Leeroy Rogue who recorded a sensational best of night performance.

The former Queensland-trained chaser has plenty of followers, and win, lose or draw the son of Big Daddy Cool and Fantasy Royale continues to hold his mantle as the top sprinter on the Apple Isle, winning nineteen races from 27 career outings.

Facing the starter for the fifty-seventh time on Thursday night, the black sprinter started race favourite off box seven and away fairly at the jump, Leeroy Rogue placed his paw to the floor and exploded to the front by a length ahead of Jouster at the top turn.

Coming around the turn, Leeroy Rogue charged well clear at the top of the straight to defeat last start winner Two Bills and Jouster by 3 ¼ lengths to run in a sizzling new personal best time of 25.62, bringing up his twelve victory from 16 starts on the track for owner Jane Crawford.

The black sprinter has won 32 of 57 races with 14 minor placings and stakes of $53,735.

"I'd say he's one of the most exciting chasers I've ever seen," Debbie Cannan stated.

"Leeroy Rogue just loves the big spaces of Hobart because the track allows for his racing style, we never change his routine, not only that he has only a twenty-minute drive from my place to race and we know he gives 150% in all his races no matter the result.

"We considered a trip across to the mainland for the Healesville Cup but not many people realise he is four and half years old, we always considered that and when he got beat at Devonport we decided not to go, keeping safe here.”

Mainland import Mav kept his form well intact to score a promising first-up win off box six for owner Leslie Kenyon, with a convincing victory over Fasika in a time of 26.48 for the 461-metre journey, producing his seventh career win.

The son of Barcia Bale and Paua And Jewels eventually found the front from the wide draw after a brief tussle Dancing Barefoot and showed a great will to find the line. In running races, Cannan was quite surprised in the performance of Tenerife Sea who claimed winning honours.

The 36-kilogram son of Dyna Double and Key Missile ran down tearaway leader Hogwash in the straight, working home well by storming down the centre of the track to score by ¾ of a length in a slick time of 26.08, his fifth win from twelve starts.

"He was purchased for $1,000, Ted (Medhurst) and I own the dog together and we had no great expectations on him early days, but he just keeps on surprising and winning in good-graded company should he has ability and winning five races is a bonus," she added.

The Mangalore kennel rounded off a memorable night Headspace getting the job done in the last.

"Both Mav and Headspace were sent to me by the owner (Leslie Kenyon) in good form and what they had done on the mainland show that they would be competitive here in Tassie and I couldn't be any happier in the way the team is going which is a bonus," said Debbie.