Make Your Mark – Burnie 18/11 & Hobart 20/11

What a weekend it was for trainer/driver Mark Yole who drove an incredible eight winners between last week’s Hobart and Launceston meetings. It will be tough to repeat the dose, but Yole tries to point the punters in the direction of a few winners in Make Your Mark.

Weekend best

Friday Race 4 – 1. Cool Scooter

This bloke got the job done for us last week when as expected he pinged the tapes and was able to lead all the way. Here he gets back to Burnie where he won a few starts ago, and comes up with the plumb draw. I expect him to lead again and although he steps up to the 2500 here, I don’t feel that will be a problem for him. He should win again.

Under the radar

Friday Race 3 – 1. Whatta Good Reason

Care of a great draw I have gone for this fellow. Last time he raced from the tapes at Burnie he was able to lead. He did cop a lot of pressure from the eventual winner on that occasion, but I thought he battled on admirably. If he can step away cleanly and lead here, I think he will be mighty hard to beat.

Wish I was in the sulky

Sunday Race 2 – 1. Bolt Your Socks On

A really nice run in the Prelude here last week where he zoomed to the lead and gave a lot of cheek, he was only grabbed late by De Goey. I have driven this bloke in the past and he has always shown promise. I believe he has come along in leaps and bounds since Ben has upped his workload. Last week was a good sign of that.

This is a really good race, and it should be very exciting to watch. I have gone his way as he has a great draw and I’d expect him to have the gate speed to lead again and if Nathan can just get it a little easier in front, he will be right in the finish.

Black booker

Sunday Race 3 – 11. Arden Roanoke

Last week this fellow returned from a Victorian campaign with not much luck. He was back along the pegs in a very fast mile race and was not able to wind up as he likes to do. In Victoria, he raced very consistently and was able to win a metropolitan race at Melton. That is very good form for a race like this and although it is a tricky draw if I can work my way into the race, he should be going very close.

Inside word

This week I’d like to just mention something I had a conversation with a junior driver about last week. At this time of the year, it is getting close to the end of the racing season and with that means it is getting to the pointy end of the premierships. Some are already decided but there are a couple that aren’t. For drivers at this time, they can start thinking about potentially winning a premiership. With that means they may start putting pressure on themselves and be more concerned with what other drivers are doing and not themselves.

It is quite common to see them trying too hard or pulling out too early. At times it is very easy to fall into the trap of over-thinking races and losing patience. I know that I have suffered with this at times and my advice was to try to relax and let races pan out, instead of trying to force things. My favourite saying is “if it’s meant to be, it will be.”