Leading trainer John Blacker will play a strong hand in this week's feature race, the $50,000 Finance Brokers Tasmanian St Leger (2400m) under lights in Launceston on Friday night. 

Blacker will saddle up Zulu Angel with Jackson Radley to ride, Vintage Diesel for Hayley McCarthy and Montezulu to be ridden by Anthony Darmanin. 

Zulu Angel comes off a solid fifth placing in the Launceston Cup and has raced twice at the distance for that fifth and a placing. He has drawn in barrier four and won six races, three in Launceston. 

"He ran enormous in that race. I think watching the replay, he could have run fourth, he's pulled up well and has the benefit of a hit out over the distance and gets his chance for a good result," Blacker said. 

Vintage Diesel, a 7yo, is racing in rare form with three wins from his past four outings. Two of those wins have been over the 2400m trip. McCarthy has been aboard all three wins. 

"We elected not to run him in the cup, but he has trained well, stays at 54kg, and will run the trip." 

Montezulu has been placed at his past two runs, although he is up in class, he does shape like the distance will suit and will carry the minimum weight of 54kg, much less than he has in recent starts. 

"We ran him Cup Day and he probably needed the hit out over 2100m. His work has been good as gold since then, 2400m with Anthony Darmanin, he will give it a hell of a shake I reckon, he is probably the pick of my three, he is going up through the grades, he's fresh and super fit." 

Dual Devonport Cup winner Ashy Boy is topweight with 59kg. He has been unplaced at three runs since winning in Devonport in early January, he ran last in the Hobart Cup and sixth in the Launceston Cup, he is yet to win beyond 2100m and has been unplaced at all five runs over 2400m. 

John Keys has two acceptors, Travelling Gigolo who is capable at the distance but yet to find form this campaign and Dantes who, while up in class, scored an overdue win over 2100m on Launceston Cup Day. 

Dantes will be having his first try at the distance. 

My best bet is Uncle's Tip in race 4. She had no luck first-up from a spell when a close fourth and should make amends here, and Steele My Sunshine can improve in the last on the card. Nicely drawn, third-up from a spell and blinkers on for the first time. 

It's an early start with the first of nine races at 17:20. Duncan Dornauf will be trackside with all the action for Tasracing Live.