News Article

Prevailing set to return in Launceston

24 / 10 / 2012 Article by: Editor
Prevailing (9) about to grab Geegees Blackflash in 2012 AAMI Launceston Cup icon Click to enlarge

LAST season’s all conquering stayer Prevailing will kick off his 2012-13 campaign in Launceston next month.

Prevailing ended his season in Tasmania with a brilliant win in the Group 3 AAMI Launceston Cup (2400m) defeating Geegees Blackflash that denied that horse the privilege of clinching the Hobart-Launceston cups double.

“Prevailing is coming along nicely with the plan to start his preparation in either the Newmarket Handicap next month or a 1400-metre weight-for-age race in Launceston a couple of weeks later,” David Brunton said.

The Newmarket will be run under lights in Launceston on November 21.

“The Newmarket is going to be a tougher first-up assignment so we are probably already leaning a bit towards the weight-for-age race on December 5 but we’ll make out minds up closer to the time,” he said.

Prevailing’s Launceston Cup triumph gave the Bruntons their first success in the race.

Prevailing won a race at Moonee Valley after winning the Launceston Cup but after one more outing in Victoria he was sent home.

“The horse found it hard to settle in over there and he got so bad we had to send him home,” Brunton said.

“It could have been the boat trip so if we take him over again we’ll definitely fly him in,” he said.

While the stable eagerly awaits Prevailing’s return to racing Brunton also is getting excited about the return of his four-year-old mare Buzzing Along that proved her worth last season.

Buzzing Along went within a whisker of winning the Listed $100,000 Vamos Stakes when a close second to her stablemate Lady Lynette in a head-bobbing photo-finish.

“Buzzing Along has been back in work a while and she will kick off her campaign in a class two over 1100 metres in Launceston next week (October 31).”

“You’d think she’d be a chance in a class two, especially with a four kilogram claim for apprentice Dave Fisher,” he said.

The Bruntons are pleased with the progress and work ethic of their apprentice Fisher who has been with the leading stable for about six months.

Buzzing Along is likely to be aimed at the Bow Mistress-Vamos Stakes double.

Buzzing Along also ventured to Victoria with Prevailing but she was unplaced from two starts on metropolitan tracks.

Team Brunton has a plethora of chances at the first night meeting of the season in Launceston tonight.

They will saddle up Galibier in the class four handicap (race five) in which he has top weight of 59kg and will start from barrier 15.

Despite the wide gate and big weight Brunton is confident the gelding will be competitive but understandably so given the horse is being aimed at the Newmarket Handicap.

“He is a very nice horse going places but he has a few things against him tomorrow night,” Brunton said.

“We’ll assess where we are going with him after tomorrow night’s race but the Newmarket is a possibility,” he said.

Another of the stable’s best winning chances is Manhattan Rose in the benchmark 78 handicap over 2100 metres (race eight).

She was a luckless fourth last start in Hobart and won her two previous outings.