Larry Not Late In Launceston Cup
- Wednesday, 24 February 2010 05:35
The Rodney Douglas trained Larry's Never Late continued the run of Interstate victories in the $300,000 Group Three Launceston Cup making it six years since a local has saluted.
This year's Launceston Cup marked the smallest field to ever contest the Group Three event, following the scratching of both Grand Destiny and De Fine Lago, the latter failing a veterinary inspection despite trainer Tony Vasil believing otherwise.
Larry's Never Late ($4.20) was kept out of trouble by jockey Ben Melham for the most part, at times sitting 3-4 horses deep in a muddly run affair, but when the heat went on at the 600m mark it became a race in two with Larry's Never Late skipping away over the concluding stages to defeat local hope Dream Pedlar ($4.70) by two lengths with Growl ($1.70) a disappointing third a further four lengths away.
Despite finishing over eight lengths behind Growl in the Hobart Cup just two weeks ago, the stage was set for a big turnaround when the small field of seven runners left the straight for the first time in a canter.
Not wishing to get involved in a battle for the lead, Melham eased the four-year-old Pentire gelding off heels and took him four wide to get him relaxed.
Without the break neck pace of the Hobart Cup Growl was left tucked away with the run of the race on the rails fifth but that was never going to suit the seven-year-old gelding looking for his second win on the trot after a three year dry spell.
Turning for home it was a two horse race with the crowd cheering for the local hope Dream Pedlar, but it was to no avail as Larry's Never Late showed the class that has already seen him collect over $400,000 in prizemoney from just twenty two starts.
The Group One placed gelding was purchased at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sale in 2007 for $77,000 and quickly showed connections his potential winning two of his first three starts.
Picture: Greg Irvine
