CAPTION: Sassy Galaxy winning the Country Oaks before completing a feature double in the recent Tasmanian Oaks at Launceston.

By Brennan Ryan

Exceptional Tasmanian sprinter Sassy Galaxy continued Loira trainer Paul Hili’s hot run of form in the state’s feature races when she took out the recent Sires On Ice Tasmanian Oaks Final over 515m at Launceston.

Sent to the boxes as an outsider of the field at $10, Sassy Galaxy, a daughter of Cosmic Rumble, began well, settling second behind the Ted Medhurst-trained Earning The Cash, which shanghaied to the lead early from box four.

Balancing up down the back, Sassy Galaxy began taking ground off the leader, eventually hitting the front in the shadows of the post to score convincingly in 29.89secs over Earning The Cash with Nitro Ash finishing third.

Sassy Galaxy faced a tough field for the Oaks final from a bad draw, so Hili  knew it wasn’t going to be an easy race to win.

“It was a big ask coming from a bad draw (box 6) knowing the red runner (Aston Ajok) was going to be hard to beat, though Sassy Galaxy was tough in her recent efforts and having those runs around here really helped,” the trainer said.

Sassy Galaxy also became the fourth greyhound in history to complete the Country Oaks/Tasmanian Oaks double.

“The campaign from both Oaks series have been long and right now Sassy Galaxy deserves a well-earned-spell. It’s amazing how her form has turned around since she arrived and has since gone on in leaps and bounds,” Hili said.

Victorian owner/breeder Allen Lie races Sassy Galaxy who brought up her 10th career victory from 20 starts.

Hili was quick to thank his family and friends who help run the big operation of his racing kennels.

“It’s a huge effort, I couldn’t do it without the people I have around me – winning the Tasmanian Oaks is a big thrill,” he said.

Dark Titan landed trainer Debbie Cannan her sixth major title in Tasmania for the year, when winning the Tania Rattray MLC Tasmanian Derby Final over the 515-metres for owner Ian Sowell.

Punters installed Dark Titan, who jumped from box one, as the race favourite at $3.

It looked like a race changing moment when the favourite copped interference in the early stages of the race, before gaining a saloon run along the rails through the first turn to chase after Hiccup Amisha who charged to the lead.

The lead changed hands coming off the back straight with Dark Titan cruising past the leader to hit the front and setting up a handy break, careering away to score by 3-3/4 lengths over the fast-finishing Man Over Board in 29.79secs. Hey Dougie flashed home late for third.

rom just 11 career starts to date the son of Bella Infrared and It’s A Fling has won five races and $15,825 in stakes.