Keast and Hurrell combine to win Speed Series heat

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Southland driver Mark Hurrell and trainer Jamie Keast are proving to be a potent combination, especially when Hurrell drives Tosana (Art Major).

The combination won the second heat of the Vetsouth Equine Southern Belle Speed Series at Winton yesterday.

From barrier four Hurrell pressed the go button and Tosana was soon in front from Just Like Jaggar with favourite Chicago Sky three back on the pegs.

“It was a quick front row. Just Like Jaggar had had three races in a week and a couple inside of her didn’t have a hell of a lot of gate speed, but she does when she’s right. She felt great today so I thought we might as well drive her positively,” Hurrell said.

Turning in, Tosana stole a break and went down to the line to win by a length and a quarter from Chicago Sky with three quarters of a length back to Ultimate Cullect who finished the race off nicely for third.

The winning time was 1-53.9.

“We put the blinds back on today, drove her positively and she felt a million dollars. She’s in the final now and has a good chance.”

Owned by Keast’s grandparents Paul and Pauline Renwick, Tosana has now won five of her twenty starts and all have been in Southland. Hurrell has driven her in four of those wins.

Keast runs two stables – his main one at Weedons and he’s recently registered a barn in Invercargill. This is his first winner from his Southland base.