Tommy On Target For Hobart Thousand Tilt

SEVEN heats of the time-honoured Group 1 Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand (461m) will be staged at Hobart on Thursday night.

As always the series has attracted some of the top sprinters from the mainland, each vying for the rich $75,000 first prize for Australia's oldest classic event.

The headline of the heats is Western Australian superstar Tommy Shelby which heads to the track after finishing third to Hard Style Rico in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park last start.

Steve Withers prepares the mighty son of Fernando Bale and Serena Fly High which took sight of the spacious 461-metre track last Thursday night in a trial, clocking a flying 25.48, just a length outside Stanley Gordon's 25.44 track record.

Tommy Shelby is currently the $3 favourite with Sportsbet to take out the group 1 series.

Also right in contention is Tiggerlong Tonk ($5.50 to take out the series) which claimed this year's Group 3 Shootout feature at Sandown Park, defeating Shima Shine in the process.

Tiggerlong Tonk returns for a second tilt at the Hobart Thousand after qualifying fastest for last year's finale in 25.55 before finishing fifth behind Hooked On Scotch.

Shadow Mist, Paua Of Oscar and Aston Ulyssess round out the top interstate contenders.

Group 3 Ladbrokes Devonport Chase winner Wynburn Sheean rounded out his preparations for the series with a gutsy 25.73 win at Hobart last Thursday.

The Ben Englund-trained son of Aston Dee Bee is $15 to take out the Hobart Thousand series.

The Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand is the oldest feature race conducted in Australia and was first run back in 1935 as the Hobart Cup at the old TCA grounds.

It was first run as the Hobart Thousand in 1939 before reverting to the Hobart Cup in 1942 for two years. 

The race was not held in 1944 or 1945 due to the war but recommenced in 1946 as the Hobart Thousand and has remained under that name to this day and staged as a Group 1.

The Hobart Thousand has been won by stars of the sport including Rookie Rebel, Ophir Doll, Benjamin John, Black Aztec, Brother Fox, Dyna Tron, Above All and Hooked On Scotch.

Winner of each heat plus the fastest runner-up will progress through to the final.