Racing
Another Cup for Fast Thinker
January finished just as it began for trainer Kelvin Hamilton, adding the $50,000 Sydeston Cup (2150m) to his trophy cabinet with 9yo gelding Fast Thinker in Launceston on Friday night.
Fast Thinker ($8.50) raced away with the Longford Cup by just over three lengths on New Year's Day and repeated the dose in Launceston by a similar margin, ensuring a spot in next month's $250,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup in the process.
"When Piping Lane won the Longford Cup, he went on to win the Melbourne Cup in the same year," joked Kelvin Hamilton after the race.
Fast Thinker was brilliantly ridden by apprentice Sam Kennedy, who had to withstand several mid-race moves to stay up on the speed. Johnnie Pinch ($4.60) finished second, with 2025 Launceston Cup winner Distrustful Award ($13) and General Assembly ($10) dead-heating for third.
The betting market for the race shifted in the afternoon after the late scratching of early favourite, Kaliuwaa Falls, due to injury.
"They took him on twice and made it hard for him, and he still gave them a towelling," Hamilton said.
"We will have to think about the Launnie Cup. He's a nine-year-old, and I don't want to punish him too much. This win was his first at the distance, and the Cup is an extra 250m on top."
Hamilton confirmed his smart sprinter Just Cruisin' will resume in next Sunday's Listed Thomas Lyons (1400m) in Hobart after winning a Longford trial earlier this week.
Kennedy was one of five different apprentices to land a winner on the eight-race card. Lauren Burke, Christopher Pang, Jabez Johnstone and Chloe Wells all had winners.
Wells partnered $1.22 favourite Beneficiary to his second win in the space of a week, with success in a Class 2 (1420m). The 5yo has now won three of his four starts and is making up for lost time after injuries curtailed the early part of his career.
Training honours went to Angela Brakey with a winning double. Silver Grange ($17) won his maiden (1420m) at good odds early in the night, before Coal River ($2.90) won the final race of the evening.
A tried purchase for Brakey and connections, Silver Grange has been a revelation for the team, winning four of his eight starts since arriving in the state.
"He just continues to improve this horse, and it was a fantastic win," Brakey said.
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