You Little Beaut and Zingo Among Hobart Cup Hopefuls
- Monday, 17 January 2005 00:00
South Australian trainer Tony McEvoy has set his sights on capturing his second AAMI Hobart Cup and will take a two-pronged attack into this year’s race.
McEvoy, who won the race two years ago with Jeune’s Mark, confirmed You Little Beaut and Zingo would make the trip across Bass Strait for the Group 3 race over 2100m on February 14.
You Little Beaut produced an eye-catching run in the Taranto Handicap (1980m) at Caulfield on Saturday when he flashed home late to finish on the heels of the placegetters.
McEvoy singled out the AAMI Hobart Cup for You Little Beaut some time ago but admitted to being frustrated with the six-year-old gelding’s preparation.
“You Little Beaut is progressing nicely but things haven’t panned out as I had hoped at his past two starts,” McEvoy said.
“His recent lead-up races haven’t been run to suit, but he’s coming along nicely and he is a similar type of horse to Jeune’s Mark who won the Hobart Cup two years ago.
“You Little Beaut’s run at Caulfield on Saturday was full of merit given he was still last on the home turn. He hit the line full of running and with one more run under his belt he should be primed for the Hobart Cup,” he said.
McEvoy confirmed You Little Beaut would have his final hit-out for the AAMI Hobart Cup in a race at Caulfield over 2000m on January 26.
Zingo is a last-start winner at Victoria Park in a class six handicap over 1650m in which she powered home to score narrowly but with authority.
Zingo (Zabeel-Wild Applause) is raced by John Singleton and she is well-performed at Group level having been beaten a half-head by the John Hawkes-trained Entangle in the South Australian St Leger in May last year before heading north for the Queensland Oaks in which she was unplaced.
“Zingo is a lightly raced Zabeel mare who has performed well against her own age and I’m sure she is going to be very competitive in Hobart,” McEvoy said. “If everything pans out I’ll most likely return with her for the AAMI Launceston Cup.”
McEvoy has nominated a team of 16 horses for various races during the AAMI Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival including promising two-year-old Marjour for the $100,000 Gold Sovereign Stakes (1200m) on AAMI Launceston Cup Day.
Marjour scored an impressive debut win at Warrnambool on Sunday and McEvoy said he was keen to include the youngster in the team to tackle the final day of the carnival.
Victorian trainer Peter Moody cleaned up last year with Zacielo winning both cups and this year he has nominated eight horses for the AAMI Hobart Cup, including Davidoff, Mr. Lofty and his classy mare Sky Love.
Mr. Lofty warmed up for the AAMI Hobart Cup with a fast-finishing fifth in the Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Sky Love will start her Tasmanian campaign on Sunday when she lines up in the Group 3 Queens Cup (2100m) in Launceston after which she will return to Melbourne to prepare for either the AAMI Hobart or AAMI Launceston Cup.
The AAMI Hobart Cup has attracted 61 nominations of which 30 are from interstate.
The AAMI carnival has lured nominations from 37 interstate trainers who are keen to chase some of the $1.8 million in prizemoney on offer in feature races over the three-and-a-half weeks.
The carnival begins on January 30 in Hobart with the Thousand Guineas, Hobart Guineas and weight-for-age Tattersall’s Stakes after which the action moves to Launceston for the weight-for-age St Leger meeting a week later.
Then it’s back to Hobart for the Tasmanian Derby meeting on February 12 followed two days later by the AAMI Hobart Cup.
The carnival ends on February 23 with the Mowbray meeting that boasts a strong support card of races outside of the $200,000 Group 3 AAMI Launceston Cup (2400m).
Media Release - AAMI Hobart Cup
