Hobart Cup winner Epingle will need to overcome a wide barrier if she is to claim Tasmania’s feature Cups double and earn her connections a lucrative bonus in Launceston on Wednesday.
The Mick Kent-trained Epingle, dominant winner of the Hobart Cup last start, has barrier 12 in a field of 13 for the Group Three $225,000 Launceston Cup (2400m), the 150th running of the event.
A $100,000 bonus is on offer to Epingle’s trainer and owners should the mare complete the Hobart-Launceston Cups double.
It has been a decade since the Peter Moody-trained Zacielo completed the double in the same year.
Epingle is favourite to do so despite rising 2kg to 56kg for her dominant three-length win at Hobart.
The mare will be ridden by star jockey Craig Williams.
Epingle’s only two starts over the distance have been her Hobart Cup win and a second to Sertorius in last year’s Group Two Zipping Classic at Caulfield.
Tasmanian star and defending champion Geegees Blackflash is the topweight with 60kg and is on the second line of betting.
The seven-year-old will be lining up in his fourth Launceston Cup having also finished third in 2011 and second in 2012.
“I reckon he’s better this year than last year,” Geegees Blackflash’s trainer John Luttrell said.
“He’s in great order and his trackwork has been outstanding.”
Craig Newitt returns home to Tasmania for the meeting and partners the Mike Moroney-trained Surpass in the Cup.
Surpass was fourth in the Hobart Cup with Jake Noonan aboard.
The Launceston Cup meeting also features the Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2100m), the Listed George Adams Stakes (1600m) and the Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds.
