In Brief
- Of the 16 Hobart Cup nominations nine are from interstate.
- Waller and Waterhouse candidates are likely starters in Cup.
- Other feature races on card are full of quality interstate nominations.
Interstate invaders dominate nominations for this Sunday’s $250,000 Ladbrokes Group 3 Hobart Cup to be run over 2400m at Ladbrokes Park Elwick.
Chris Waller and the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable have nominated horses that contested the Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm last week in which Waterhouse’s Taikomochi defeated Waller’s stayer Naval Warfare by a length.
Both stables have indicated they are likely to take the trip from Sydney.
Of the 16 horses nominated for the race, nine are from interstate with Naval Warfare and Taikomochi the best-performed of the group.
The balance of the interstate nominees hail from Victoria with Richard Laming nominating Dogmatic, He Ekscels and Mitrust, that contested the weight-for-age Summer Cup at Elwick on Saturday in which he finished fourth but beaten 12 lengths by local mare Toorak Affair.
Popular Victoria trainer Patrick Payne yesterday confirmed he will be bringing Home by Midnight for the race and he has been placed second at his past two starts at Caulfield, the latest over 2400m.
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are keen to bring their experienced stayer Yogi to Hobart as he prepares for another tilt at the Sydney Cup.
The Richard Litt-trained Morton’s Fork is the other entry from NSW, and he comes off a last-start sixth in the Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm.
Shady Hustle (Bulent Muhcu) wins over 2100m in Launceston
Of the local nominations, last Saturday’s Summer Cup winner Toorak Affair looms as the best winning chance while last season’s Tasmanian Oaks winner Shady Hustle also has claims.
The other feature races on the expected 10-race card include the $150,000 Group 3 Bow Mistress for fillies and mares over 1200m and it has attracted 20 nominations of which 11 are from interstate.
Connections of star Tasmanian three-year-old filly Deroche have lodged a nomination for the Bow Mistress but they will wait another day to see how she has recovered from her effortless win in the 3YO Carbine Club Plate at Elwick last Saturday before making a final decision on whether to accept.
Trainer Adam Trinder has nominated Twitchy Frank that was second in last year’s Bow Mistress before going on to win the Group 3 Vamos Stakes in Launceston.
Man of his Word, prepared by Dean Krongold at Mornington, is the sole interstate invader nominated for the weight-for-age $100,000 Thomas Lyons (1400m) but the race boasts the best sprinters in Tasmania in Hellova Street, Mandela Effect, I’m Wesley and Blaze Fourth.
Tasmania staying filly Still a Star, that was sensationally scratched from last Saturday’s Tasmanian Derby, is one of 18 nominations for Sunday’s $100,000 Strutt Stakes for fillies that is a lead-up to the Tasmanian Oaks.
The David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig stable have nominated last-start 2000-metre Ararat maiden winner Sacred Valley while the Anthony Freedman stable should accept with Rice Queen that won her maiden over 2050m at Moe two weeks ago.
Check out the nominations for the card at Elwick on Sunday here.
(Photo courtesy of Racing and Sports).