Star Brothers Set To Strike At Hobart

TASMANIA'S premier trainer Ted Medhurst expects highly talented littermates Raging Ralston and Stanley Gordon to improve on their already sensational records at Hobart this Thursday night.

The exciting sons of My Bro Fabio and Broadway Miss have enjoyed sensational starts to their careers, Raging Ralston successful at 13 of his 16 appearances, while Stanley Gordon has won nine of his 13 starts.

"When syndicate manager Roger Bloomfield handed them to me after breaking them in he said we might have something – he wasn't wrong," reflected Medhurst in the lead up to Thursday's Hobart meeting.

Set for a big summer of racing, Medhurst is targeting the star pairing towards December's Group 1 Hobart Thousand, while a tilt at the Group 3 Devonport Chase, which begins in late November, hangs in the balance for one.

"Raging Ralston is 80/20 to go to Devonport and Stanley Gordon is probably 60/40," explained Medhurst.

"Stanley Gordon had a bad fall the last time he was at Devonport so I'll just see with him. I'll probably head up and trial and see how he goes."

On Thursday night, Raging Ralston will exit box three in race five on the program, set to start a short priced favourite.

"He holds the run home record at Hobart – 14.40 odd which is incredible," Medhurst said.

"He hasn't got a heap of five second speed but his run home is something special. I haven't had a good look at Thursday's race but I'd imagine it couldn't be harder than last week's Stakes race which he won really well (in 25.84)."

Medhurst, who put the polish on top flight group 1 winner Buckle Up Wes and grand group winning stayer Bell Haven (just to name a few), says he'll be "shocked" if Stanley Gordon doesn't win race seven from an ideal box eight draw.

"It's gold the eight at Hobart – he'll be a good things price but so he should be," Medhurst said.

"I'd say Stanley Gordon is a quicker U-turn dog than Raging Ralston, more speed … I'd be shocked if he didn't win off the pink on Thursday."

Medhurst's assessment is hardly surprising, Stanley Gordon boasting an electrifying 25.56 personal best time for the Hobart 461 metres.

The leading Tassie trainer's evening rounds out in race eight where Launceston Oaks winner Chilled Out lines up from box one.

"I was a bit disappointed in her run last week," Medhurst said.

"She's a good bitch on her day and she is desperate for the fence so if she is in front off the back I'd be surprised if she wasn't in the finish. She's run 29.79 at Launceston winning the Oaks, she's quite handy."

On the doorstep of a big couple of months of racing at home, Medhurst has every intention of heading to the mainland with the star sons of My Bro Fabio in the new year.

"I think Raging Ralston will fly around Wenty," Medhurst said.

"We'll focus on the big races here and then look what's around in the new year. I've only got one Hobart Thousand win (2004 Regent Thunder) so a second one would be handy. I'm really happy with how the two dogs are progressing."