KILMORE Cup winner Power of Tara produced another tough as teak performance to win the $50,000 Betfair City of Launceston Cup on Sunday night.
With veteran reinsman Brian Gath in the sulky, Power of Tara faced the breeze for the duration of the 2698-metre event but was still able to find when the pressure was applied to defeat Notaswethort by a neck with the winner’s stablemate and heavily backed favourite Ohoka Nevada almost four metres astern.
Power of Tara’s trainer Tony Peacock was happy with the win but he was quick to let the driver of stablemate Ohoka Nevada, Damian Wilson, know what he thought of his dive after the race.
Peacock berated Wilson for “going to sleep” in that he allowed Notaswethort (Daryl Douglas) to catch him napping and obtain the lead midrace.
“Damian (Wilson) was going too slow in front and he must have been dreaming because he’s let Notaswethort go around him too easily and that left him (Ohoka Nevada) stuck behind Douglas’s horse. It wasn’t one of his better drives,” the trainer said.
However, he was full of praise for Gath’s handling of the stablemate.
“Thank heavens you were awake out there” Peacock told Gath as he brought Power of Tara back to the parade ring.
The heavily backed Tanabi Bromac ($5 into $3.90) began well from gate four to hold the lead but driver Gavin Lang was happy to hand up to Ohoka Nevada soon after.
However, to Lang’s suurprise Wilson was caught napping when Daryl Douglas called on Notaswethort to make a ligntning move around the field to wrest the lead 1400 metres fro home.
It was a great race, as expected, with action from start to finish and Gath heaped praise on the winner.
“He is a genuine horse that can do it tough in big races, as he showed tonight,” Gath said.
Peacock confirmed both of his charges will progress to next Sunday night’s $125,000 Group 1 Tasmania Cup in Hobart that promises to boast the best Cup field in years with recent Victoria Cup winner Bettors Strike confirmed by the Tasmanian Pacing Club as a definite starter.
Listen to what trainer Tony Peacock had to say about Power of Tara’s win – click here .