LONGFORD trainer John Blacker has longed to win a Launceston Cup and next Wednesday he gets his chance with Smoke ‘N’ Whisky who clinched a berth in the $200,000 Group 3 event with an impressive win in the Sydeston Night Cup (2100m) in Launceston last night.
The winner of the Night Cup earned ballot-free entry into the Launceston Cup.
Smoke ‘N’ Whisky (Damien Thornton) settled in the first half dozen but when the pace slackened in front the rider quickly summed up the situation and sent his charge around the field to race outside of the race leader Ollie’s Gold.
When Thornton called on Smoke ‘N’ Whisky for the big effort in the home straight he dug deep to stave off a determined challenge from former West Australian stayer Gladstone to go on and defeat that horse by almost a length.
“I said last year that I thought Smoke ‘N’ Whisky was a cups horse and he has come into his own recently so I’m rapt that he’s got a start for sure in the Launceston Cup,” Blacker said.
“I thought his run in the Hobart Cup was good (ninth of 14) and that has definitely toughened him up and this run will have him at his peak for next Wednesday’s race over 2400m,” he said.
The make-up of the Launceston will be known at 9am tomorrow when final acceptances are taken.