White pays tribute to resilience

Fresh from a 10-day break in Hawaii, trainer Gary White is hoping to offset the holiday expenses with the small team he is taking to Launceston on Wednesday night.

Anthony Darmanin.
Anthony Darmanin. Picture: (Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Gary White has last start winner Just A Tribute who he is hoping to get to some of the feature WFA races during the Summer Racing Festival, contesting the Members Handicap (1100m).

Last start Just A Tribute came from near the tail of the field to win running away in a BM68.

Just A Tribute has raced nine times since joining White's team 16 months ago, has won four times and has had to overcome difficulties just to make it back to the track this campaign.

"He's had a condition called epiglottitis and his whole epiglottis was swollen so you can imagine the interference to his airway.

"After he had trialled so well and won by seven lengths in Hobart (last November), he progressively started getting a noise happening, so he's done a good job to come back, and even though it's still not 100% his win the other night was just so impressive," White explained.

"They were going to operate because they thought it might have been entrapment at the time, but it wasn't it was mainly just a lot of swelling.

"At the moment he looks a million dollars, his work has been fantastic, he will never be the horse he could have been, but as you saw with his win the other night, it didn't impede him."

Earlier in the night White will saddle up his only other runner for the night, Mr Freeze in the BM60 (1200m). The grey has been placed at his past two runs in Launceston and may have been a little unlucky last time out.

"He's been racing really well, and obviously, last start Darma (jockey Anthony Darmanin) may have made a bit of a mistake on the corner, but who knows, he got him into a great position, it's a beautiful race for him and he should get a nice position again and hopefully hit the line like he did last start."

Overall Mr. Freeze has won two races from 30 starts, he is yet to win since joining White's stable but has been placed in eight of 16 runs and has earned a cheque 11 times.

Anthony Darmanin rode both horses at their most recent runs, and the jockey, who has made a flying start to the season with 17 wins from 85 rides at a winning strike rate of 20%, will take the rides again on Wednesday.

Looking for a best bet, I like Royal and Tough in the fifth of the night. Royal And Tough is first-up and was very impressive in winning a Devonport trial recently, beating Jaguar Stone, running home the last 600m in 34.34 seconds.

To start the night, I think Liberty Rae, back to 1400m after jumping to 1600m last start and from a much kinder draw can upset Aruma, who looks certain to be a short-priced favourite.

Duncan Dornauf will live host Wednesday night's program on TasracingTV where the first of eight races is programmed for 17:34.


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