The 2025 $250,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Hobart Cup field has drawn a field of eight. Visitors have recently dominated the race, with the last locally trained Cup winner, Toorak Affair, in 2020. This year, the Hobart Cup winner will remain in contention for a $150,000 bonus if they can add the Launceston Cup (26 February).
Matt Reid has provided his runner-by-runner preview and assessed market.
- Goldman (7) – Assessed price $4.80
The lightly raced 6YO aims to give Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott their second Hobart Cup in three years, following the win of Military Mission in 2023. He led and kicked strongly when winning the Pakenham Cup (2500m) two starts back, but didn’t have the same fight when challenged in the Bagot (2800m). Tough ask to carry 60kg, but it is only 0.5kg more than Aurora’s Symphony last year. I’d expect him to land in the first couple, and I’d be surprised if there was a lot of pressure in the race, given the small field.
- Promises Kept (5) – Assessed price $3.9
Broke a winning drought of nearly two years when he justified a short price to win the Summer Cup. That was a painless watch for backers, jockey Shane Foley landing in the 1-1 and never really looked like losing. The last Summer Cup winner to take out the Hobart Cup was Toorak Affair in 2020 though, and he does have weights against him from those who also come through that race. He ticks plenty of boxes, but I think this race has good depth, and I’d be working around him if he’s a dominant favourite. Interestingly, a 10% share of Promises Kept was sold on Inglis Digital to a Tasmanian local during the week for $35,000.
- Alhambra Lad (3) – Assessed price $14
Alhambra Lad heads to the race for the second year running, a beaten favourite last year when he was the first horse beaten after leading. A winner of the 2024 Summer Cup, he had good market support this year but was only fair after enjoying an economical run on the rail. I am skeptical that the Summer Cup is the right form line, and I have those who finished ahead of him doing the same here.
- Strawberry Rock (6) – Assessed price $6
The ‘lesser fancied’ of the two Ciaron Maher-trained horses, Strawberry Rock meets his stablemate 2kg better for finishing 1.75-lengths behind Promises Kept in the Summer Cup, where he ran the fastest last 600m/400m/200m of that race. He was safely held by Goldman in the Pakenham Cup but has a 4kg swing in his favour. As an 8YO he’s the oldest horse in the race, but with 30 career starts, he has hardly been heavily taxed. The stable obviously warrants respect everywhere they go, and this isn’t a race that Maher has won previously.
- Arugamama (8) – Assessed price $3.80 fav
The only mare in the race, Arugamama will try and emulate the feats of her half-sister Pretty Punk, who won the race in 2018. Superstar hoop Jamie Melham has been booked for the ride since she finished fourth at Flemington last start, the same race that produced last year’s Hobart Cup winner Aurora’s Symphony. She’s proven at the distance, should enjoy a good run on the speed, and as previously mentioned, ‘fresh’ horses on the scene have had great success in this race in recent years.
- Kaliuwaa Falls (2) – Assessed price $13
The best of the locals, in my view, Kaliuwaa Falls, will enjoy a home-ground advantage as a four-time winner at the track. Unsuited at WFA conditions in the Summer Cup, he was a great run there, finishing third, albeit a good margin from the quinella. After a narrow miss in the Devonport Cup, he deserves to win a feature race this campaign, but my gut feeling is that another honourable placing may be best for him.
- Ashy Boy (1) – Assessed price $25
He was the first Tasmanian-trained horse home in this race last year when finishing fourth. He’s since added a second Devonport Cup before finishing midfield in the Summer Cup last time out. Back to handicap suits, but he was well off Kaliuwaa Falls last time when assessing the best of the Tassie chances.
- Travelling Gigolo (8) – Assessed price $50
The only ‘true local’ in the race, Travelling Gigolo was bred in the state and remains trained here. He was second in this race in 2023, but that’s now a long time ago, and he’s rarely shown that he’s the same horse. He loves Hobart and this race will be circled as a target on the calendar every year.
| 1 | Goldman | 4.8 |
| 2 | Promises Kept | 3.9 |
| 3 | Alhambra Lad | 14 |
| 4 | Strawberry Rock | 6 |
| 5 | Arugamama | 3.8 |
| 6 | Kaliuwaa Falls | 13 |
| 7 | Ashy Boy | 25 |
| 8 | Travelling Gigolo | 50 |