Star Thoroughbreds stands to enjoy a monumental Wednesday at the Launceston Cup, even without Denise Martin represented in the signature event.
Expect Martin’s signature purple and white to fly on the leading hopes in four races adjacent to the $250,000 Group 3 Cup, the ninth race at 5.29pm.
The Vamos Stakes (1400m), another Group 3 35 minutes pre-Cup, sees Sanniya as firm favourite, after Durazzo‘s tilt at the Listed Hellova Street Stakes (1600m) and Mazzini‘s bid in the non-Black Type $125,000 3YO Classic (1200m).
Barry Campbell, trainer for Star Thoroughbreds in Tasmania, also saddles Azonto in the 1200m benchmark 64 curtain-closer.
Favouritism is keenly contested among the four, Sanniya and Mazzini odds-on shots, with Sanniya pursuing five in a row while Mazzini hopes to recover from his recent four-win sequence interruption.
This three-year-old by Needs Further ran fourth at $1.16 in the $75,000 Magic Millions 3&4YO Classic (1200m) on February 6’s Tasmanian Derby undercard, and Martin later pinpointed a cause.
“When Barry took him home that night the horse ate up, he was not unsound, he was well, but we had bloods taken on him on the Monday and his iron levels were a little bit down,” Martin said.
“He had whatever is the usual supplement that vets make sure horses for blood irregularities like that have and since that time he’s been really good.”
At $1.90 for the 3YO Classic, Mazzini gets stall two and jockey Kelvin Sanderson.
The rest of Martin’s runners ride with Craig Newitt, featuring Sanniya – three-year-old Stratosphere daughter, six-for-seven – at $1.55 trying 1400m first up.
“Craig is adamant that she will run 1400 metres,” Martin said.
Durazzo, full brother to Mazzini, thrills with a return to Launceston (seven-for-eight record) to rectify his tight Thomas Lyons Stakes reverse against Steparty on February 8, per the Listed Thomas Lyons Stakes.
“He seems to enjoy Mowbray even more than Hobart and he loves 1600, so I think the owners are very keen for another contest with Steparty to see if he can turn it around.”
Only six acceptors in the Hellova Street Stakes, Durazzo widest and Steparty from barrier four.
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