Racing
Launceston - Wednesday, 22nd February 2023
The last big meeting of the Summer Racing Festival is a huge Ladbrokes Launceston Cup Day on Wednesday.
The cup has attracted close to a full field which combined with a strong card of support races, the day is undoubtedly one of the best on the calendar.The rail moves to the +3m position after being in the true for Oaks Day on Sunday, a rail movement that has been consistent for recent years. Fine weather is forecast for Wednesday and it would be a surprise to be racing on anything other than a good rated surface.
R1 Newton & Henry Maiden, 1200m
STARNOTE (14) was heavily supported resuming but after landing in a good spot behind the speed, she had trouble getting clear when needed. She draws wide here but there isn't a lot of exposed speed in the race. NO ACCESS (2) flashed home out wide in the same maiden but gives the impression he's after 1400m. BELPINE MISS (7) raced without a lot of luck in her debut preparation. She raced behind maiden winners who have won multiple races and gets Newitt aboard. Stablemate MAY WE ALL (1) was slow out at his only start and Chelsea Baker will obviously know the horse well. AMABUTHO (4) is an interesting runner with Oliver booked as a visitor who is eligible for the Tasbred bonus. He's a hard horse to line-up with his form over much further. GOOGLY (11) raced out of her grade on debut and was saved from Sunday for this. GEEGEESSCARLETBEE (9) has run better than the market suggests at her past couple and could sneak into the money here without surprise.
R2 Lafm Maiden, 1400m
DUNCANNON (3) didn't have a lot of luck slotting in first-up but didn't shirk the task for a close second. That form is a little hard to trust given the price of the winner, but up to 1400m likely suits, as does the low draw. MISS VIVACE (14) had strong market support in the same race to run second and McCoull stays with her to offset a poor draw. RUE DE PALAIS (10) ran well at his first Tassie start and draws to settle handy to the speed. MIRA FLORES (12) comes via that race early on Hobart Cup Day as well, she's had no luck at all with barrier draws in her three start Tassie career. AURUM MAN (2) was another good closer in that race drawn to be sweeping home here. PUMA (6) has had plenty of chances but is holding form well. D.Oliver is certainly a positive for him. BELLANIVE (11) was a big run from the same race and KREGLINGER (9) was the market mover that night and was doing his best work late. Stablemate HEWIE (5) ran a couple of good races in his debut preparation but will need to come on a bit from his late January trial. GEEGEES HISWORD (8) gets blinkers for the first time which may help him settle a bit closer. VIVRE IS THE WORD (7) ran second in a class 1 last time which has him placed well returning to maiden grade but is guaranteed to jump from the widest gate.
R3 Shedcorptas Class 1 Hcp, 1400m
A pair of Hobart Cup Day maiden winners clash here in PRINCESS MATOAKA (8) and GEE GEES MISTY (9). Both received great rides from gun jockeys there who stick with them from awkward alleys. SALLY SUNSHINE (10) was a tough watch to start that program, she was slow from the machines which put an end to her winning chances. Siggy Carr led on this horse at the T&D two starts ago so perhaps she'll try and cross the likely leader FANCIFUL FLYING (12) despite the wide draw. BELMISTA (4) struggles to win but is racing well and is firmly in the mix again. SOUTHERN WIND (5) was an eye-catcher resuming, finishing ahead of stablemate NIGHT MISSILE (2) despite being a much bigger price. Both look suited rising in distance. DOONICAN (1) is another John Blacker runner who has been kept under a hold in a pair of recent trials.LA LOUVE (7) can have her maiden win pushed earlier in the day but on face value this looks much harder. MONTE BIANCO (11) only got warm late in a Hobart race dominated by the leader and was a big run in defeat on this program 12 months ago.
R4 Sportie's Hotel Bm64 Hcp, 2100m
SUNSET GUN (7) appreciated a drop in class to defeat several of the rivals she faces again here on Hobart Cup Day. With Chelsea Baker taking the ride and claiming 3kg, she'll meet most of them better at the weights. TRUE SCOTSMAN (3) and GEE GEE ENUF SPEED (2) dead heated for third there, unable to wear down the winner who settled on-speed. BANCA GLEE (11) was plunged in that race and was doing her best work late, as were CAPTAIN MORGAN (6) and COSTERO (9) who settled back as they normally do. IMAGINE HOWE (1) chases a hat-trick of wins here. It was a big performance last time racing without cover in a genuinely run affair and that performance suggests the 2100m will suit despite being unproven. He meets True Scotsman 3kg worse from their meeting on Devonport Cup Day. LAUNNIE NIGHTS (10) led at a brutal clip last time after doing the complete opposite the start prior, so tactics are a query with a senior rider going on from a wide draw. THREE’S A CROWD (8) and ZEVA ROYALE (5) are on the three-day back-up if here after a mile race on Sunday that was messily run and saw a bunched finish.
R5 Pfd Food Services 3yo Classic, 1200m
Really good race this one. MUSCLE UP (2) had map favours last time and was too good in a 3YO handicap that saw SISTINE (9) and MIAMI SUN (1) finish behind him. Miami Sun drifted up the track there ending his winning hopes and David Keating opts for a senior rider this time around. He was too good for BOLD INSTINCT (4) when they met in the first running of the Blackflash, despite the runner-up seemingly having every possible chance. ZULU ANGEL (3) chases a hat-trick of wins, kicking off that winning sequence with a victory over Muscle Up who was caught wide that day. Back in distance doesn't look ideal but he'll be strong late. JAGUAR STONE (6) missed a 1400m race on Sunday to race here at 1200m. Blinkers first time deep into the campaign looks a key gear change for her. BLONDE VENTURE (7) dead heated with Jaguar Stone in the 2YO Magic Millions race last year, so she's a T&D winner. PIIINK BEAUTY (8) has been good on the pace in two Hobart runs and she's another with the blinkers being applied.
R6 Finance Brokers Tasmania Royal Rambo Qlty, 1200m
LAYLOW PLUCK (10) got to open class for the first time and franked his wins in lesser grade with a slashing second behind Rebel Factor. Third there was Turk Warrior who won with ease on Sunday. MUSIC ADDITION (2) was a solid run in that race, just missing the placings. GALENUS (3) has been freshened since a disappointing run in the Carpet Charge but he does his best racing here including a win in this race last year. Stablemate STREET TOUGH (7) ended a long run of outs with a last start win and he plummets in weight from that. GEE GEE PLANE (12) closed well in that race, just finding 1100m a bit short. CORONATION KEITH (8) is another dropping significantly in weight and should land in a good spot, though 1400m is short of his best as it is for JUST A TRIBUTE (13) who is back in trip out of the Thomas Lyons. The old boy LIFFEYBEAU (1) continues to race well but the end of 1200m has tended to find him out. PEACE BE UPON HIM (11) is an up and comer who wasn't bad in the Ladbrokes Stakes and is better placed under the conditions of this race.
R7 Steve's Liquor Hellova Street Stakes, 1600m
It sounds as though THE INEVITABLE (1) will take his place in the first running of the race known as the Hellova Street and he'll justifiably be a very short favourite. In a campaign full of highlights his Thomas Lyons win was arguably the best of them, and it's hard to see him being beaten barring incident. This is a race Scott Brunton will be desperate to win and he'll have half the field to do so. SIR SIMON (7) is the likely pilot, they seemingly waited for him to find the front last time even though he was slow out. FIRST ACCUSED (5) has chased The Inevitable all campaign and MANDELA EFFECT (2) was a good thing beaten in this race 12 months ago. ALPINE WOLF (6) raced well with the blinkers first time to be best of the rest in the Thomas Lyons and up to a mile looks great for him. SWOOP DOG (4) is hard to line-up dropping back from the Hobart Cup where he seemingly didn't run out the 2400m.
R8 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup, 2400m
View the runner-by-runner preview for the Launceston cup here.
R9 Armidale Stud Vamos Stakes, 1400m
Interesting edition of the Group 3 Vamos as a lot of the field have little to no proven 1400m form. EMBELLER (3) was runner-up in the Bow Mistress which is the main local lead-up for this race. She was a strong closer there but none of her four career wins have come past 1100m. SIRENE STRYKER (7) was the first Tassie horse home there, given a great ride by Daniel Ganderton. Along with MISS TUPPENCE (8), QUEENBOROUGH FLYER (13), IN HER STRIDE, EMILY (7) and DUNBRODY POWER (1) they'd all be notching their first 1400m win if successful here. JAJA CHABOOGIE (5) is perhaps one horse proven to be looking for 1400m from the Bow Mistress and was fourth in this race last year. TAKE THE SIT (2) was the 2022 Vamos winner where she enjoyed a dream run from gate 2 but has an outside draw here. She was a huge market drifter first-up where she was only fair and has had a minor setback since that run. REWARD ACHIEVER (4) hasn't missed a place in eight Launceston starts which includes five wins. She's been freshened since a Devonport Cup run where she led the field at a genuine clip. DEFIANT DIVA (6) is one of a couple of visitors in the race, settling well back last time in a Sale race dominated by the leader. She has a low draw as does fellow Victorian LUNARES (15) who is up significantly in class after racing on speed in 64 grade at Pakenham.
R10 City Of Launceston Bm62 Hcp, 1200m
OUR SHINKANSEN (7) defied a big market drift to sweep down the outside here just over a month ago. Track pattern will be well established by the last of the day and will likely be key to her chances. She defeated GEE GEE TRUE STORY (1) that night who has since run well again. NICCO THE GREEK (2) is a last start winner who along with stablemate VERBANO (8) are having their first start on the Launceston track. They're perhaps a bit more progressive than AMANCAYA (13) and DEBRIEF (5) in the same colours but a spike performance from that pair wouldn't totally shock. WANE’S QUEST (4) landed some good bets last time and that form was pushed with Ring of Honour winning on Sunday. There does look good pressure here though with SPARKLING ONE (11), HANNAH’S SONG (3) and perhaps TILTHEREWARSYOU (12) applying heat up front. EPIC SONG (16) went off the boil last campaign but going back to this day last year he was less than a length off Turk Warrior. WOLF REIN (15) was a beaten favourite last start but raced wide there which makes it easy to excuse that performance.
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