Maher has two-pronged Hobart Cup attack

The Ciaron Maher stable has resorted to what has worked previously in their bid to get Strawberry Rock back into winning form in Hobart.

Strawberry Rock is aiming for back-to-back victories in Sunday’s Group 3 Hobart Cup (2400m) having taken the race from former stablemate Promises Kept last year.

Ciaron Maher Racing’s National Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull said Strawberry Rock had been based out of Seven Mile Beach for the past month trying to get some speed back in his legs.

Strawberry Rock has been unsuccessful since last year’s win but did run second in the Listed Mornington Cup in April.

This campaign he finished a similar margin from the winner in the Pakenham Cup as he did 12 months earlier while at his most recent start, Strawberry Rock was beaten 1.7 lengths in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on December 31.

“We took Strawberry over early just because of the way they are trained over there,” Turnbull said.

“The environment is much easier for them. Last year he was only treading water, and he really came on when he went there with Promises Kept.

“He was racing very dour and we needed to get some speed in his legs and hopefully we’ve done that down there again.”

Turnbull said the Seven Mile Beach training set-up replicates Cranbourne arm to a degree.

“They live in sand yards,” Turnbull said.

“The bush tracks are fantastic, and you have access to the beach. It replicates what we have at Cranbourne to an extent, but it’s deeper sand and you can incorporate wading through the water.”

Stablemate Ziryab also heads to Sunday’s race and was sent to Seven Mile Beach the same time as Strawberry Rock.

Ziryab finished ahead of Strawberry Rock in the Pakenham Cup and has had a run in Tasmania, finishing eighth in the Summer Cup (2000m) at Hobart on January 18.

“He was wide, no cover, keen, and ran poor,” Turnbull said.

“He’s given us no reason to bring him home and his work has been solid from then through to now.

“He’s the pick of the two if he was to get back into the form he was in Melbourne as Strawberry needs to lift a little, and hopefully he does.”