Champion jockey Glen Boss took his talents to Tasmania on Sunday to win his first Hobart Cup on Hurdy Gurdy Man and help improve Darren Weir’s impressive record in the race.
The fast-finishing victory of Hurdy Gurdy Man repelled the local challenge of star Tasmanian gallopers The Cleaner and Geegees Blackflash and continued a great run of success for Weir in the $225,000 Group Three feature.
It was the Victorian trainer’s fourth Hobart Cup win in the past eight years and the culmination of a long range plan to set Hurdy Gurdy Man for the 2400m event.
“It has been his target since he first came back into work,” Weir said.
“It was good for it to come off because usually they don’t.”
For three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Boss, it was another demonstration of his ability in staying races.
He parked Hurdy Gurdy Man midfield on the fence from the inside barrier and despite “a bit of a scrimmage” on the home turn, he produced Hurdy Gurdy Man in the clear in time to reel in brave frontrunner The Cleaner.
Hurdy Gurdy Man defeated The Cleaner by 1-1/4 lengths with last year’s winner Geegees Blackflash looming strongly in the straight before finishing another short head away third.
Boss said he always felt like the winner and praised Weir for turning the horse out in fine order.
“He looked ready that horse today,” Boss said.
“He paraded very, very well and this was his race.
“He had a lovely run. There was a bit of a scrimmage on the home turn that he was able to come through but I had a lot of horse underneath me for when I did go.”
Hurdy Gurdy Man, who was coming off a third in the Terang Cup, had carried 59kg at his past three starts but dropped to 54kg for the Cup which Boss said was the telling factor.
“Against the local horses here with their records he was able to get in on the minimum which esentially won him the race,” Boss said.
Weir said he would consider heading to the Launceston Cup next but wanted to savour another Hobart Cup win.
“We’ll get over today first, but he’s done his job now,” he said.
Jockey Jason Maskiell said The Cleaner was brave in defeat and was looking forward to the Launceston Cup while Peter Mertens said the big weight of 59.5kg told with Geegees Blackflash.
