STAR Tasmanian galloper Geegees Blackflash was elevated to champion status when he gave a star-studded field a galloping lesson in the $225,000 Group 3 AAMI Hobart Cup over 2200 metres at Tattersall’s Park today.
The John Luttrell-trained five-year-old went into the race undefeated from four starts this preparation and carried the hopes of most punters and every Tasmanian who had even the slightest interest in racing.
The gelding, owned and raced by the state’s most prominent thoroughbred owners Paul and Elizabeth Geard, settled midfield and travelled comfortably for Victorian jockey Peter Mertens who was content with the modest pace being set by his stablemate Jay Bee’s Gee Gee.
The Michael Moroney-trained Viking Hero (Damien Oliver) settled second and raced outside of the leader from the 1400m to the turn and hit the front momentarily turning for home.
But when Mertens hit the go button on Geegees Blackflash he unleashed a scintillating turn of foot to grab the leaders at the top of the straight and went on to score by over a length from Viking Hero with Dream Flyer a closing third ahead of Placement.
It was an emotional trainer who found it hard to find adequate words to describe his feeling after his stable star had demolished quality opposition.
“I don’t know what to say. This horse is my mate and he is the reason I kept training when I was about to give it all away,” Luttrell said.
“There’s not much I can say except the horse is just an outstanding animal that loves doing what he does and I just have to make sure he keeps fit and healthy,” he said.
Geegees Blackflash won the 2010 Tasmanian Derby but he suffered a bleeding attack during a training session at Brighton on the eve of his return to racing after the Derby win.
If there ever need to be proof of the horse’s ability it was when he went into last year’s Launceston Cup third up from a spell and ran third, beaten a long neck.
Geegees Blackflash’s owners Paul and Elizabeth Geard were thrilled with the win and they confirmed the gelding would more than likely head to the Launceston Cup on February 29.