VICTORIAN trainer Mick Kent pulled the right rein when he opted to keep his mare Epingle in Tasmania to contest the Group 3 Betfair Hobart Cup today instead of sending her back to Melbourne for the Mornington Cup on Wednesday.
When the Hobart Cup was postponed last Sunday due to a storm that swept across Tattersall’s Park leaving the complex in tatters Kent contemplated sending his mare back to Melbourne for the Mornington Cup.
Epingle scored an emphatic win in the Betfair Hobart Cup tonight with Craig Williams aboard, scoring from a courageous Geegees Blackflash with his half-sister Gee Gee’s La Quita a closing third.
“I changed my mind a few times about sending her back for the Mornington Cup but in the end I opted to stay in Tasmania and I’m glad we did,’ Kent said.
“We’ve been chasing Group or Listed success with this mare for some time and to finally achieve the result is very pleasing,” he said.
Williams had Epingle settled in fourth place off the strong speed set by The Cleaner (Anthony Darmanin) while Geegees Blackflash settled at the rear of the field from his outside gate (9).
The Cleaner set a solid pace but it was evident 400 metres out that he may have spent his lot and that’s how it panned out.
Epingle hit the front at the top of the home straight, kicked clear and then had to stave off a determined challenge from Geegees Blackflash that was very brave in defeat.
It was Williams’ third Hobart Cup triumph and he was particularly pleased to win.
“Mick had this mare in top order for this race and she was always going to be the one to beat in the run,” Williams said.
Epingle will now go to the Betfair Launceston Cup at The TOTE Racing Centre on February 26 and if successful she will win the Tattsbet $100,000 Cups Double bonus which is divided equally between the trainer and the mare’s owner.