STAR Tasmanian stayer Geegees Blackflash notched his first win of the season when he powered home to take out the Ray Trinder Quality Handicap over 1600 metres at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston on Tuesday night.
Geegees Blackflash has been notching minor placings in weight-for-age and quality handicap events over shorter distances this time in and he should now be ready to step up to more suitable journeys.
The Flash began his 2013-14 journey with a fast-finishing fourth in the Newmarket handicap over 1200 metres followed by a game third to Rebel Bride at weight-for-age over 1400 metres also in Launceston.
Just prior to this latest assignment he was second to Black ‘N’ Tough in Hobart in the Kevin Sharkie Tasmanian Stakes over 1600 metres.
The gelding’s trainer John Luttrell was delighted with the horse’s progress this preparation.
“It’s great to see him win again and we will step him up in distance now to the Summer Cup over 2100 metres in Hobart and that will be his last run before the Hobart Cup,” Luttrell said.
“The horse has never been better and while he is going to have to carry big weights I am confident he will be up to it in the big races such as the Hobart and Launceston cups,” he said.
Luttrell targeted the Summer Cup as Geegees Blackflash’s next outing because it is a quality handicap with a 60 kg ceiling.
“The Summer Cup is the logical next race for him and even though it is three weeks before the Hobart Cup I will just step his beach work up from one day a week to two days and that’s what we did last year and it worked well,” he said.
The Summer Cup will be run over 2100 metres at Elwick in January 19 which is the opening day of the Betfair Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.