Several Victorians have made the trip across the Bass Strait for their shot at Group 1 glory in the Tasmania Cup.

Following heats staged over the past two weeks on the Apple Isle, six Victorian-trained horses have qualified for the $100,000 feature this Saturday night.

Heat one was taken out by well-performed local Ryley Major off the 30m handicap in track record time, with the Dean Braun-trained short-priced favourite Im Off N Gone galloping away from the stand and losing early ground before recovering to run a brave third and secure her place in the final.

Alex Ashwood returned to his home state with Rockntommy Rulz, who handled the standing start conditions to qualify in fourth position.

In the second heat, Hamilton Cup winner Rackemup Tigerpie had the 20m handicap to overcome and was a dominant winner after pushing forward to the breeze and showing his class over the concluding stages.

Trainer-driver Mick Stanley was full of praise for the seven-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven.

“He’s been going good for a while. He was a bit unlucky the start before he went over,” Stanley said.

“He navigated the standing start really well, there were a few do things wrong in front of him and he kept composed and got past those horses.

“He obviously went really well, but how he handled the conditions was nearly the most pleasing part.”

Ian Stanley will look after Rackemup Tigerpie in the lead-up to the final.

“Dad’s there with him, they will both have a little holiday and hopefully he can go well this week.”

The Russell Jack-trained Perfect Stride made his run from the back to qualify into fourth after some early interference, John and Maree Caldow’s consistent mare Messerati found the top before finishing third, with the final Victorian-prepared qualifier being Western Sonador. He didn’t handle his first attempt at the standing start, going into a wild gallop in the early stages before recovering to chase and take the final qualifying position.

Trainer-driver Beck Bartley is confident Western Sonador is back to racing near his best and should be improved for his heat run.

“We’ll put pins in this week and hopefully that will help him step away. He is out of the draw now and I think that might actually suit him better,” she said.

“If he can handle the start, we are confident he will run a really good race.”

The Tasmania Cup is the first Group 1 harness race that the state has hosted in a little over a decade, with the prizemoney being boosted to $100,000 for the 2022 edition.

Picture: Tasmanian Trotting Club/Courtney Pearce