STAR Tasmanian stayer Up Cups has had his travel arrangements to Adelaide thrown into chaos after his flight to Adelaide was cancelled at the last minute.
Connections had booked Up Cups and stablemate Gladstone on a flight to depart Hobart in the early hours of Wednesday morning but late Tuesday afternoon trainer David Brunton was notified the flight had been cancelled.
“The flight being cancelled has thrown everything out of whack but we have been able to get the horses on the Spirit of Tasmania tonight (Thursday) so at least we are going to be able to get them there (Adelaide),”Brunton said.
The horses will be transported to Patrick Payne’s stables at Plumpton, north-west of Melbourne where they will be freshened up and then be transported to Adelaide along with Payne’s team that will be contesting races at Adelaide and Oakbank over the coming weeks.
“We are very lucky that Paddy (Payne) has offered to help us out and for that we are very grateful.
Gladstone will run in a benchmark 82 handicap over 1950 metres at Morphettville on Saturday while Up Cups will line up in the Group 2 Adelaide Cup over 3200 metres on Monday.
David Pires who rode Up Cups to victory in the Hobart and Launceston Cups will ride both horses but they are his only rides over the two days.
Brunton and Pires will fly to Melbourne tomorrow morning and then join up with the horses at Payne’s training complex.