In Brief
- Mick Stringer eyes second Launceston Cup victory.
- Painted Hilux won the race for Mick back in 1991.
- Inside draw crucial to Mighty Quinn's winning hopes.
Tasmanian Hall of Fame trainer Mick Stringer is eager to secure his second Ladbrokes Launceston Cup victory and hopes that Mighty Quinn will end the long drought in the Group 2 $60,000-to-the-winner feature on Monday night.
The last time Mick lifted the Launceston Cup trophy was in 1991 when Painted Hilux, a brindle son of Busy Vintage, won the race at White City from box 3 defeating Our Falcon and Demon Gold taking home the $8,000 first prize.
His entry for this Monday’s 515-metre feature is Mighty Quinn, who has now reached his third group race final, previously competing in the Group 3 Mount Gambier Cup and most recently in the Group 3 Ladbrokes Devonport Chase Final.
Despite coming close in previous years, Mick plans to rectify that personal anomaly with this prolific performer.
“During the time I’ve had him here, he’s done an excellent job,” trainer Mick Stringer remarked on Mighty Quinn.
Mighty Quinn takes out his Ladbrokes Launceston Cup heat for Mick Stringer on 27 January.
“I thought he was really unlucky in the Devonport Chase; got held up during the run. I’ve been so happy with him over the past few weeks. His performance in the heats was amazing, and that was his first full look at the track.
“All I gave the dog was a box-to-box trial before the Launceston Cup heats – huge improvement from that trial.”
The son of Shima Shine delivered an outstanding performance last week, winning with a remarkable last-to-first run from box 7. He beat No Restrictions and Darryl’s Choice, completing the victory in an impressive 29.73 seconds.
Mighty Quinn moves to box 1 in the Launceston Cup Final, rated as a $4.40 chance with corporate bookmakers.
He displays a solid career record from inside draws and is looking to secure his 12th win for the SMSK Racing Synd.
Mick is confident that Mighty Quinn has the right draw and the potential to demonstrate significant improvement.
This is a change of fortune for the kennel as Mick’s last kennel star Bernie Burrow was sadly retired due to injury.
In recent years, seven greyhounds have won the Ladbrokes Launceston Cup from box one. This statistic highlights the importance of inside draws, which Mick understands is crucial for winning races in Launceston.
“Mighty Quinn lacks early speed, but it gives him the opportunity to take the run on the rail to the first turn.
“He will need to be among the first four around the corner to have a chance, but he could easily be crossed,” Mick said.
The 89th edition of the Group 2 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup is set for Race 8 on Monday night jumping at 21:06.
Greyhound racing in Launceston on Monday night begins at 18:33, with Brennan Ryan on track hosting all the action on Tasracing Live.