Dream Pedlar Out For Cups Double
- Wednesday, 03 February 2010 04:15
Tasmanian trainer Troy Blacker's Hobart Cup hope Dream Pedlar has drawn ideally in barrier six for Monday's Group Three race.
Michael Rodd takes the ride which if successful will complete a Cups double for the Blacker family after trainer John Blacker, whose wife died in September's Samoa tsunami, won last month's Devonport Cup (1800m) with With Decorum.
Dream Pedlar is a much stronger horse than when he finished 4-1/2 lengths third to Gotta Keep Cool in last year's Hobart Cup (2200m) when he carried 53kg.
The five-year-old gelding goes up only half a kilo on that run in Monday's $400,000 feature.
He comes into the race having won the weight-for-age Listed Tasmanian Stakes (1600m) three starts ago before a close-up sixth in the Devonport Cup after a torrid journey.
He's been freshened since and tuned up for Monday with a fourth in the Group Three Ingham JC Cup (2100m) at Elwick, where the Hobart Cup will be run.
"He's weighted well at 53.5kg and given he's a much more mature and stronger horse this year, I think he is well weighted," Blacker said.
The Hobart Cup will be Rodd's first ride in Tasmania.
Race favourite, the Robert Smerdon-trained Rathsallagh ($3.50), drew barrier two on Wednesday while second favourite Zavite ($4), trained by Anthony Cummings, will start from 10 and De Fine Lago ($6), prepared by Tony Vasil, jumps from gate five.
Tasmanian-born jockey Craig Newitt rode With Decorum to win the Devonport Cup and in the Hobart Cup he'll be on the Rodney Douglas-trained Larry's Never Late who drew barrier 11 in the 16-horse field.
