SUCCESS for either Banca Mo or Genuine Lad in the Listed $350,000 Mornington Cup in Victoria on Saturday has the potential to stamp the 2015 Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival as the best since its inception in 2005.
Genuine Lad defeated Banca Mo in the Launceston Cup and they finished second and third respectively behind Geegees Blackflash in the Hobart Cup for an all Tasmanian finish, which was repeated in the Launceston Cup with Geegees Blackflash finishing third.
Genuine Lad had his final tune-up for the Mornington Cup when he won an open handicap in Launceston over 2100 metres last Wednesday night carrying the huge weight of 62.5 kilograms.
With Brendon McCoull aboard, the Bill Ryan-trained four-year-old gelding raced on the speed for most of the race and when the rider asked him to extend he quickly put the end result beyond doubt.
“To carry that big weight and win as easily as he did and without having to be pushed right out was an amazing result and it was exactly what we were hoping for heading into the Mornington Cup,” Ryan said.
“The horse had a couple of days on the grass after the race and he will have a gallop on the grass today and that will top him off nicely for Saturday’s race,” he said.
Banca Mo hasn’t raced since the Launceston Cup but his trainer Scott Brunton took him to Launceston last Wednesday night for a grass gallop and he looked magnificent as he was put through his paces working with a mate (Spun Sugar).
Banca Mo dashed home his last 400 metres with David Pires in the saddle and drew clear of his galloping partner towards the end of the workout.
“I couldn’t be happier with my horse going into Saturday’s race,” Brunton said.
“He has done everything I’ve asked of him since the Launceston Cup and if he has improved as much as I think he has, then he will be hard to beat on Saturday,” he said.
The only hiccup in Brunton’s plans was the cancellation of a flight that was expected to take Banca Mo to Melbourne last night.
“They cancelled the plane so we will have to take him by sea and that will be either tonight or tomorrow night,” Brunton said.
Genuine Lad also will travel to Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania (tomorrow night) and he will be stabled with Dean Binaisse at Mornington while Banca Mo will be domiciled at Richard Laming’s stables at Cranbourne during his stay in Melbourne.
Banca Mo has been handicapped to carry 56kg in the Mornington Cup and Dean Holland has been booked to ride while Genuine Lad will be ridden by Ben Melham who can easily make his weight of 55kg.
Final acceptances for the Mornington Cup close at 9am today.