Tasracing

Anticipation is rising for the 2025 Ladbrokes Hobart Cup Carnival. Nominations for the races on Friday and Sunday have been announced, bringing with them a powerful dose of star power.

This year’s $250,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Hobart Cup has attracted 11 nominations, dominated by four from Australia’s leading trainer Ciaron Maher, who signalled his intentions to win the race for the first time with a quinella in last month’s Summer Cup.

Promises Kept and Strawberry Rock from the Maher stable finished in that order in the Summer Cup, and they’re joined in the nominations by stablemates Okita Soushi and Le Don De Vie.

The third placegetter in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, Okita Soushi, is the highest-rated horse among the nominations, eight of which are trained outside Tasmania.

Superstar jockeys and newlyweds Jamie and Ben Melham will be riding on Cup Day, with Jamie booked for South Australian visitor Arugamama in the Cup.

Trained by Andrew Gluyas, Arugamama is a half-sister to 2018 Hobart Cup winner Pretty Punk.

Ben Melham after winning the Channel 9 Trophy at Flemington Racecourse on November 05, 2024 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Ben Melham has feature rides on the Nick Ryan-trained duo Suntora in the Strutt Stakes (2100m) and Munhamek in the Thomas Lyons (1400m).

While neither Melham has ridden a winner in Hobart before, they are no strangers to success in the Apple Isle, with Ben having won the 2010 Launceston Cup aboard Larry’s Never Late, and Jamie claiming the 2020 Gold Sovereign with Jyoti.

The couple, who married in mid-January, has over 35 Group 1 victories between them, and their presence alone at the meeting will attract significant local and interstate interest.

Final acceptances for Friday’s Derby and Mystic Journey meeting will be completed on Tuesday, and Cup Day acceptances will be on Wednesday morning. The barrier draw for the Cup will be conducted at Ladbrokes Park Elwick at 10:00 on Wednesday.

*Pictures courtesy of Racing Photos.