Dream Pedlar Wins Devonport Cup
- Wednesday, 05 January 2011 13:15
Dream Pedlar equalled a long standing weight carrying record when he won yesterday’s $100,000 Total Care Devonport Cup (1800m) in front of a crowd of 10,000 people.
After starting from a wide barrier, Dream Pedlar settled nicely for Michael Guthrie in a midfield position before finding clear running at the top of the straight.
Dream Pedlar ($3.60) then charged at the tiring Borugino ($31) to hit the front close to home despite the impost of 61kg to win by a half length on the line.
Fierezza ($26) finished a further long head away in third and with better luck over the concluding stages could have finished closer to the winner.
The last time a horse carried 61kg to victory in the Devonport Cup was Barnwell in 1949.
“He was always in a good position but I was a bit worried down the back (straight) as he was in on the fence a bit and I thought ‘gee don’t go there, don’t get held up’,” winning trainer Troy Blacker told TasRacing following the win.
“But he found his way clear and he was too strong in the end.
“He is a lot stronger and maturer and is a real fair dinkum racehorse this year,” he added.
Earlier this season Dream Pedlar won the $50,000 Golden Nugget (1600m) at Ballarat, the Listed Bendigo Cup (2200m) and the Listed Tasmanian Stakes (1600m) at Hobart at his previous outing.
Dream Pedlar will now progress towards the Group 3 $300,000 AAMI Hobart Cup (2200m) at Elwick on February 13 with the Mick Kent-trained My Bentley a likely opponent.
Dream Pedlar, a six-year-old son of West Quest, has raced 36 times for seven wins and 13 placings with prizemoney now in excess of $450,000.
The other highlight on Devonport Cup day was local hoop Craig Newitt riding five winners on the ten-race card.
Newitt was shooting for a fifth victory in the Devonport Cup with Lock It In Eddie but finished fifth, beaten 1-1/2 lengths from the winner.
