Hobart again turned on the weather on Monday for the big Hobart Cup meeting and the track men again produced the goods, preparing another perfect racing surface which resulted in great racing and plenty of confidence for punters and participants alike. Local stayer Up Cups kept the big prize money of the Cup in the state giving Hall Of Fame trainer David Brunton his first win in the race, while star 4yo Admiral added another WFA triumph to his incredible record of 13 wins from 18 starts. 9 trainers split the races with an individual win each, while Siggy Carr and David Pires took the riding honours, as well as the quinella in the Cup, with a double apiece.
Race 1 12:57pm Tas Horse Transport Maiden (1100m)
A Choice Scotch took out a pretty plain looking Maiden to start the day but the manner in which she did so was outstanding. Pires was caught 3 wide outside the leaders throughout but she was far too good for her opposition, racing away from the field on the turn to win by over 4 lengths. Her overall time was decent for a maiden win and she did run the 4th fastest last 800m of the meeting despite racing wide, so she looks capable of being competitive immediately in C1 company. Still lightly raced and bred to run further, she looks a mare with a good future.
Marmalady had no form and was sent out at $201 as a result but with the blinkers on she showed plenty of speed and stuck on well behind the winner to hold 2nd. George’s Gambol settled a little further back than he can and copped a check at the 900m before running home fairly into 3rd, while Geegees Muscle Man and newcomer to the state Kelly’s Diva worked to the line in 4th and 5th. The winner is clearly the horse to follow from this.
Race 2 1:32pm MMIB Insurance Maiden/Class 1 (1600m)
Bidirectional was unwanted in betting ($7 to $11) but an inspired ride by Siggy Carr saw him leading basically all the way here to a tough win. Two starts ago Carr took a sit on this horse at Devonport which arguably cost it the race, but this time she was very aggressive from a wide gate and although it took a few hundred metres to roll to the front it was clearly a race-winning move. She kept him running along once in front in a perfectly judged ride on a horse who might lack a real turn of foot but relished being able to work through his gears and maintain a strong tempo through the line. Overall time was ok so he can obviously feature in another of these Maiden/C1 races while 2100m also looks within his grasp in time.
Genuine Art was one of many Brunton runners heavily backed on the day ($7 to $3.20) and was very stiff not to land the prize after racing 3 wide throughout from the wide barrier. She gradually improved her position to be outside the leaders on turning and was still reasonably strong to the line considering the run she had but just failed to reel in the leader. She is very promising and looks a lovely staying mare of the future. Stablemate Tough Poacher ran on nicely at the finish for 3rd from back in the field, in front of Savrajette and Olly’s A Star who were right in the market but just a little plain.
Race 3 2:07pm Winning Edge Class 1 Handicap (1400m)
Sphero has been winning plenty of fans with his racing at Launceston this preparation and he scored himself a new bunch in the south of the state here with an impressive win. Inexplicably soft late in betting ($2.90 out to $4.20), he was able to settle a little closer than recent runs from his better barrier and when produced on turning he put the race away with an excellent turn of foot. Overall time was good for this grade and he was clearly a class above his rivals. Back to Launnie for the carnival looks ideal now with his record up there and he can be competitive straight away in benchmark or C2 company.
Husna ran an outstanding race at $201, running home strongly in a welcome return to form, while Hello Gertie continued her consistent record with a tough effort to run into 3rd after racing further back than she recently has and covering ground with cover in the run. Polizei resumed well with a close up 4th, while Beaufort Lad was quite a strong effort running home into 5th from well back in the field. Demon’s Run also caught the eye from the back with a much better run 2nd up. Favourite Ariconte was heavily backed late in betting ($3.20 to $2.30) but found much more competition for the lead than expected and the strong early tempo told on him late.
Race 4 2:42pm R M Worbey Constructions Class 2 Handicap (1200m)
Trot On Candy is building an impressive record and made it 3 wins from 6 starts here with a dominant victory, courtesy of a beautifully judged ride by leading apprentice Kyle Maskiell. With no one overly keen to lead, he was able to drive through despite being just fairly away and held the rail behind Extended Warranty on his outside. After a cheap early section he started to build her momentum from the 800m to be well placed on turning to use her superior sprint to get away and win easily. Running the 3rd fastest last 800m of the day from 2nd on the rail highlights the impossible task those chasing her had and she looked the winner a long way from home. She’s a good filly.
Box Of Frogs took the sit behind the leader from his inside draw and while those tactics may not have been ideal on reflection, he did return a career best run and the experience of riding in behind will be invaluable for the future. He couldn’t run down the leader but with the 2nd fastest last 800m and 4th fastest last 400m of the meeting he certainly went very well himself. Still eligible for C1 grade and he looks very well placed back to that grade. Extended Warranty sat outside the leader, often a half-length in front which is never ideal, and Thornton may have been better suited pushing harder for the lead. She doesn’t have the sprint of the winner but stuck on ok for 3rd and looks better suited trying 1400m again. A number of those back in the field ran home well enough but had no chance given the tempo of the race – Nuclear Star, Boart and Reann’s Diamond all recording top 10 last 400m sectionals.
Race 5 3:17pm Mitre 10 Elwick Stakes (1100m)
Gee Gee Double Dee was expected to win by a big space here so those who took the $1.10 were no doubt looking for a lie down after she lasted to win by a half-length. On face value the bubble nearly burst, but after looking at the work she did early and especially mid-race she did a good enough job to still get the money at the finish. She was checked early by Little Elsa and then crowded by that filly on her outside for some distance in an incident which cost Rhonda Mangan a 5 meeting suspension, and then ran 22.19 from the 800m to the 400m as she tried to work underneath that filly to hold the fence on turning. No doubt she had the white flag up late but she was entitled to and proved her class by still winning. Onto the Gold Sovereign now for a likely clash with Hot Dipped (who comfortably beat Mariah’s Magic at her only run) and it will be very interesting to see how the market treats her there after this win.
Mariah’s Magic is a nicely bred Magic Albert filly and has shown at both her runs so far she is a filly with ability. She was suited by the pressure on the favourite in front but had she not laid in when chasing in the straight she may well have knocked her off. Whether that was her best chance to beat the favourite this season remains to be seen, but the added 100m of the Gold Sovereign looks very suitable. Miss Two Pairs worked home alright for 3rd and Victorian connections would no doubt be very pleased with a listed placing for their filly. Jupiter’s Moon ran home reasonably well and looks a nice 3yo in the making.
Race 6 3:55pm Les Lees Strutt Stakes (2100m)
Sebring Sally was very firm ($4.60 to $3.50) and got the money here thanks to an absolutely brilliant ride by the champ Damien Oliver. Despite her usual racing pattern of going back he was able to work forward from the wide gate and box seat on what was a below average tempo. That was the move that won the race, as from there she was able to sprint home in clearly the best last 400m of the race and ran an impressive 8th fastest last 200m of the meeting. While she had all the favours in the run she does shape as the logical Tasmanian Oaks favourite should she try and do the double.
Gee Gees Top Notch was a noted betting drifter ($3.20 to $5.50) but showed why she is regarded as the state’s best filly with another top 2 finish and she’ll be there again in the Oaks in a fortnight. All That I Know was very good running into 3rd after getting a long way back and coming wide off the slow tempo and will also have obvious Oaks claims if she backs up there. With the slow tempo many of these finished in a bunch but worth pointing out the run of despised outsider Stormy Affair who raced wide until the 900m mark when she finally got outside the leader and then stuck on for 4th – she may not have the ability of the top liners but her effort was surprisingly good and she may give a sight ridden forward in the Oaks.
Race 7 4:35pm Betfair Exchange Hobart Cup (2400m)
Up Cups completed an amazing transformation with a gutsy win to stamp himself as undoubtedly the state’s best stayer this season. As has been well documented, he won a BM62 at Longford just 13 months ago and was never on any radars as a potential Cup horse but a change of riding tactics and an excellent training effort has seen in continual improvement and now victory in Hobart’s richest race. The horse hasn’t had a spell since November 2014 and had 26 runs in that time, so to win with a horse so far from the traditional Cups type would be ultimately satisfying for the Brunton stable for their maiden Hobart Cup triumph and their emotion post-race suggested as much.
The race itself was run at quite a slow tempo, highlighted by most horses reeling off fast last 800m sectionals and 7 horses able to break 12 seconds for their last 200m. Up Cups has the late speed to thrive in such an event, and he was ridden a treat by David Pires to find a midfield position on the rail. It’s hard to make a case for those behind him so he heads to Launceston with a genuine chance of doing the double, pending the mainland representation.
Geegees Goldengirl ran another great race to finish 2nd and her ability to race on the speed has served her well in the two major Cups so far this season. Siggy Carr dropped the whip near the 200m mark which you could suggest may have cost her making the finish much closer but the effect of the padded whips with the new whip rules is arguable. She goes to Launceston with a live chance again. Beliveau defied his status as a jumper with a very strong finish into 3rd, while Player One was again Player One, charging home into 4th with the 3rd fastest last 200m of the meeting but he just can’t settle close enough to run down the leaders in these bigger races. Quick Strike tragically broke down approaching the 800m mark after being sensationally backed into clear favouritism ($4.60 to $3) and had to be humanely euthanised.
Race 8 5:15pm UBET Thomas Lyons Stakes (1400m)
Admiral was all the rage to continue on his merry way and while the margin wasn’t great at the finish it was another professional win. He was able to relax just off the strong gallop set by Ollie’s Gold and McCoull took no chances on the bend, rolling into the race 3 and 4 wide before unleashing his customary sprint on straightening. The fact that Powercharged got close to him at the end had some doubting the merits of his win, but his final splits of 22.94 and 11.44 were still very sharp and he still had that dash at the 300m that put 2 lengths on the field in an instant. Onwards he goes to the George Adams Plate on Launceston Cup day, the race he defeated The Cleaner in last year, and it will take a mighty performance to beat him there.
Powercharged stepped right up in grade here but went enormous. He ran clear best sectionals of the day from the 400m home, finishing off in 11.25 and making Admiral earn his win right to the line. That backed up a win in fast time at Launceston and if he can run the mile out strongly next time out there’s no reason he can’t be in the finish of the George Adams also. Perplexing was well-backed ($41 to $21) and earned herself a valuable black type placing in 3rd, while the stayer Gladstone worked to the line very nicely with an eye to some longer events.
Race 9 5:55pm Tassie Instant Marquees Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m)
Hyperbole took out a hot race to finish the program, reaffirming her love for the Hobart track and a strong tempo. Beautifully handled by Darmanin, she found a nice spot in behind the speed, sprinted quickly when it was time to beat off the on-pacers and held off the big finishers late. Both the overall time and late sectionals were very strong and this looks an excellent form race moving forward. The handicapper hasn’t got Hyperbole yet in this grade so there’s a bit to come but connections would be well within their right to look to the Vamos next time on this win.
Livermore came back from a mile to this as a stepping stone to the Night Cup and possibly the Launceston Cup and he showed he is firmly on target for both races. He was allowed to relax at the tail of the field but when it was time to go, he let rip with a mighty big finish. He ran home in the fastest last 800m and 600m of the meeting and further confirmed the incredible progress he has made this preparation. Keukenhof also ran a very good race for a horse looking for a longer trip, while Liluka Belle showed sharp improvement to stick on for 4th after setting a very fast tempo in the lead. D’inzeo was another who turned in an excellent run, especially considering he was unable to race forward as is his usual pattern. Stella Etoile was easy in the market ($3.70 to $4.80) and was rather disappointing in a race that would usually suit her big finish, while Aquila Reale was truck loaded in betting ($8 to $3.90) but unable to finish off after racing much closer to the speed than last time and was well beaten.