Trainer John Luttrell is convinced home-state star Geegees Blackflash can create his own slice of Tasmanian racing history with a second-straight Launceston Cup victory.
A win to seven-year-old Geegees Blackflash in Wednesday’s $225,000 race would send his career earnings past $1 million – a first for a horse raced exclusively in Tasmania.
Luttrell insists Geegees Blackflash is better than last year and can upset favourite Epingle who beat him by three lengths in the Hobart Cup last start.
“I’m pretty confident I can win,” Luttrell said.
“I know the horse has definitely improved (since the Hobart Cup), he’s in great order. And I definitely think he’s a three to four length better horse at Launceston on the track up there.”
Geegees Blackflash will contest his fourth Launceston Cup (2400m) and he has been in the placings the past three years, finishing third in 2011 and second in 2012.
Epingle is striving to become the first horse in a decade to win the Hobart and Launceston Cup double.
Geegees Blackflash is one of four horses out of the mare, La Quita, competing at the meeting with his half-sister Gee Gee’s La Quita a Launceston Cup rival.
Gee Gee’s La Quita was third in the Hobart Cup and is trained by Stuart Gandy who also prepares a two-year-old half-sister Geegees Goldengirl who will contest the Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes.
Luttrell trains Geegees Blackflash’s three-year-old half-sister Geegees Velvet who runs in the Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2100m).
“She is a real good filly and she is a really big chance of winning the Oaks,” Luttrell said.
The four relations raced on the same program at Hobart on January 19.
For Luttrell, a win to Geegees Blackflash to pass the $1 million mark would be something to savour.
“I’ve had him since he was a baby and if he could do something like that on Wednesday – get to a million dollars – it would be beautiful,” he said.
