French import Andrea Mantegna is one of two Darren Weir trained stayers among the nominations for the Group 3 $250,000 Sky Racing Hobart Cup (2400m) at Hobart on Sunday.
Dee I Cee, above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Hobart Cup at Hobart. Photo by Steve Hart.
Andrea Mantegna is last start winner on the Morphettville Parks course over 2250m on January 27 while his stablemate Night’s Watch, who is also among the fourteen Hobart Cup nominations, is coming off a last start win over 2000m in an Open Handicap at Caulfield on January 27.
Weir‘s stable representative Darryn Murphy was on hand at Caulfield for the former New Zealand trained gelding’s win and was impressed with his acceleration when apprentice Ben Allen pressed the go button.
“He’s really enjoying his life at the farm – he came back from Darren’s new farm at Maldon,” Murphy told racing.com.
“He’s got a really good turn of foot that we witnessed then. The main thing is he gets him to cover up.”
Night’s Watch’s Caulfield win was the four year old’s fifth for the Weir stable since arriving from New Zealand while Andrea Mantegna has won three times on Australian soil for Victoria’s leading trainer.
Leading Tasmanian trainer Scott Brunton has nominated his consistent galloper Earl Da Vinci who has been placed at his last four starts which followed back to back Launceston wins.
Earl Da Vinci is coming off a last start second in a 2100m BenchMark 68 Handicap at Launceston on January 31.
The powerful Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Dee I Cee is also nominated for the Hobart Cup.
Dee I Cee has race fitness on his side with a fourth two starts back to Singing in the Listed $150,000 Gosford Quarries Gold Cup (2100m) at Gosford on January 18 followed by a second in the Listed $150,000 Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm on January 26.
Adelaide trainers Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas have nominated recent Flemington winner Pretty Punk while the Barry Campbell trained Eastender is a last start Hobart winner over 2100m.
Nominations for the 2018 Hobart Cup (2400m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4x886x7351 | FASTNET DRAGON | G | 7 | Charlie Goggin & Luella Meaburn | 1 | 54kg | 88 |
| 2 | 31271×4121 | EASTENDER | G | 4 | Barry Campbell | 2 | 54kg | 82 |
| 3 | 01784×8542 | DEE I CEE (NZ) | G | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 3 | 59kg | 99 |
| 4 | 00002954×4 | BERISHA | G | 6 | Robert Hickmott | 4 | 58.5kg | 98 |
| 5 | 214×432114 | PRETTY PUNK | M | 4 | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | 5 | 55.5kg | 96 |
| 6 | x116412141 | NIGHT’S WATCH (NZ) | G | 4 | Darren Weir | 6 | 56kg | 93 |
| 7 | 48×6745232 | GEEGEES GOLDENGIRL | M | 6 | Stuart Gandy | 7 | 54kg | 91 |
| 8 | 4366×31265 | SHOREHAM | G | 8 | Saab Hasan | 8 | 54kg | 88 |
| 9 | 90×7700843 | UP CUPS | G | 7 | Rhonda Mangan | 9 | 54kg | 87 |
| 10 | 4138561361 | BRILLIANT JET | G | 5 | Aiden Nunn | 10 | 54kg | 85 |
| 11 | 9162326241 | ANDREA MANTEGNA (USA) | H | 5 | Darren Weir | 11 | 54kg | 83 |
| 12 | 7003300×76 | SETTLER’S STONE | G | 6 | Troy Blacker | 12 | 54kg | 80 |
| 13 | 13121×6515 | SPEED FORCE | G | 5 | Bill Ryan | 13 | 54kg | 78 |
| 14 | 46x1x12232 | EARL DA VINCI (NZ) | G | 6 | Scott Brunton | 14 | 54kg | 68 |
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