The Tasmania Cup was first run as the Carnival Handicap 110 years ago in 1914 for prize money of $300.
Today, it holds the title of Tasmania’s premier harness race and the state’s only equine Group 1 event, with $150,000 on offer for this year’s event.
A capacity field of 14 (and one emergency) will contest Saturday night’s running in Hobart after two heats held over the past two weeks.
Duncan Dornauf will host TasracingTV and Sky Racing Active’s coverage of Saturday’s big night of racing, and he has cast his eye over this year’s field.
1 Cool Water Paddy
Trainer: Juanita McKenzie
Driver: Rodney Ashwood
The eight-year-old gelding hasn’t been far away in a few of his recent runs, including a third in the Devonport Cup in mid-January, and he was only defeated a half-head in last week’s heat. He generally has good standing start manners, which gives him strong top-four claims.
2 Rockandahardplace
Trainer: Kent Rattray
Driver: John Walters
Returned to form to win the Patrons Marathon in Launceston two starts ago, where he raced outside the leader for the final 2000m and was too tough in a 56.6s last half mile. He again led the one-wide lineup in last week’s heat, where he was 4.5m away from the winner.
3 Ultimate Vinnie
Trainer: Sam Barker
Driver: Tayla French
Eye-catching performance in the Ballarat Cup, where he made ground from well back and off the track in a 54.4s last half mile. He was scratchy away in his heat last week but got back down and pacing quickly. He worked forward in the middle stages to find the lead. The winning margin wasn’t big, but he did keep holding his rivals late.
4 The Shallows
Trainer & Driver: Heath Woods
Won this race after a stewards inquiry several weeks after the race in 2021. He took the shortcuts on the pylons in last week’s heat, where he finished hard on the back of the winner. It has been a while since the eight-year-old gelding’s last win. It was in December 2022.
5 Jimmy The Irishman
Trainer: Rohan Hillier
Driver: Ricky Duggan
The injury-plagued pacer has done a great job since arriving in the state. He won in track record time of 1:56.3s at Carrick three starts ago. He hasn’t been disgraced in three runs since, finishing the race well on all three occasions despite missing a place.
6 Modern Bliss
Trainer: Ash Warton
Driver: Ewa Justice
He galloped away in last week’s heat. He raced in a midfield position from the 1200m before racing three and four-wide from the 500m, where he loomed up looking the one main chance at the top of the straight to finish third. Won in good time at Terang the start prior.
7 Hes Charlies Angel
Trainer: Charlene Gusman
Driver: Alex Ashwood
Another Victorian that galloped out in his heat last week. He settled near the tail and struggled to make ground over the concluding stages. He did win a metropolitan class race at Shepparton on Cup night in good time five starts ago and has a wide draw to contend with here.
8 Courageous Saint
Trainer: Michael Laugher
Driver: Todd Rattray
The winner of 26 races resumed from a spell when first-up in the Michael Laugher stable in last week’s heat, where he finished down the track after having a soft run on the pegs from an inside of the second-row draw. He will need luck as he chases his first win since March last year.
9 Denwen Dancer (1st Emg)
Trainer: Kelly Reggett
Driver: Dylan Ford
Another that has had an injury-plagued career. He was given a lovely run in the one-out, one-back position last week but failed to run on once presented into the clear racing room at the top of the home straight. He will need to improve on that start if he gains a run.
10 Gordons Bay
Trainer: John Castles
Driver: Charlie Castles
He won the $100,000 Metropolitan Region Final and the $100,000 NSW Regional Championship Final at Menangle last year. He has had a change of trainer and ownership since his heat, where he was defeated by a big margin. That run followed a Carrick victory where he led.
11 Colby Sanz
Trainer: Kent Rattray
Driver: Kayleb Williams
He raced outside the leader in heat one of the series but took charge of his driver in the middle stages when challenged, which hurt his chances. He placed in the two runs prior to that, and does have a win over Magician to his credit last June.
12 Star Major
Trainer: James Rattray
Driver: Gareth Rattray
The multiple metropolitan class winner at Menangle made his presence felt with a dominant heat win on 16 February. The time of 3:11.8s was 2.4s faster than the one won by Ultimate Vinnie. He produced brilliant standing start manners, and after breaking 30s for every quarter of the final mile, he still ran away from his rivals for an 11m win. He does have the traffic in front of him but does follow out safe beginners off the front row.
13 Rackemup Tigerpie (10m)
Trainer: Tammy Langley
Driver: Nathan Ford
He appreciated the drop back to mobile start conditions to lead all the way to win the Hobart Pacing Cup two starts ago. He lined up in the first heat of this series, where he raced behind the leader before dropping out to be well defeated. The stewards report indicated that a change in the training regime may have had a bearing on his performance that night.
14 Mickey Oh (10m)
Trainer & Driver: Matthew Howlett
Only a few in Tasmania have recently carried their good form in aged races into open-class events, but he is one who has. He has been a tough winner of races such as the Danbury Park Cup and Devonport Cup. He was a victim of circumstances in his heat. His standing start manners can be mixed, and he has plenty of traffic in front of him early.
15 All By Myself (10m)
Trainer & Driver: Rohan Hillier
Connections had the choice of racing her against the mares in the George Johnson but elected to chase the bigger prize money here. She was racing above her national rating in the Golden Apple series, winning the final after a soft run on the pegs. She finished off well in her heat but will need a bit to go her way from the draw in the capacity field.
Duncan Dornauf’s top four selections
12. Star Major
3. Ultimate Vinnie
14. Mickey Oh
1. Cool Water Paddy
