A look at the Easter Cup

Since 1917, the Easter Cup has been the feature harness racing event in northern Tasmania.

First staged at Elphin, the race was first held at Mowbray as a one-off in 1943 before moving to the current Mowbray track in 1987.

Since its inception, only one edition of the race has not been held which was in 2020 due to Covid-19, which saw Tasmanian racing closed during that period.

The race has alternated from a standing start and mobile event over its long history, with the current heat and final standing start format being in place since 2003.

Three track-record holders will participate in this year’s Group 3 standing start event over 2698m.

Harjeet ran 1m 59.1s when winning the race in 2018, which was lowered by Like A Wildfire, who ran 1m 58.5s when scoring in the first heat on 26 March, which was then broken a week later in the second heat by stablemate Wheres The Gold who recorded a mile rating of 1m 57.9s.

The Ladbrokes Easter Cup is race six on Saturday night’s card and is the second leg of a $20,000 Quaddie jackpot, with a projected pool of $100,000.

1. Cool Water Paddy (Ohoka Arizona)
Trainer: Juanita McKenzie
Driver: Ricky Duggan
Has had three starts back in Tasmania since returning from a Western Australia preparation. His best run this prep was his most recent, when second to Like A Wildfire in the opening heat, where he sat one-one for the final 200m and fought on well late to be defeated just over six metres. Unlike his more fancied rivals, he should be clear of traffic and looks a leading hope.

2. Stravinsky (Sunshine Beach)
Trainer: Bianca Heenan
Driver: Nathan Ford
Has only had four runs in the state, with his best result being a second in the Group 1 Tasmania Cup, where he had a lovely run just off the speed before running Wheres The Gold down to a 2.1m margin. He did plenty of work in the early and middle stages of his heat in the Easter Cup, which took its toll late. Can’t rule out on Tassie Cup run.

3. Colby Sanz (Betterthancheddar)
Trainer: Kent Rattray
Driver: Kayleb Williams
He still hasn’t gotten out of the pocket from the Tasmania Cup, where he got caught behind tiring runners. He was defeated 17m by Like A Wildfire in the opening heat of this race, but his individual last half mile was still slick. He wasn’t far away when finishing fourth in this race last year and can figure again.

4. Khaki Nui (Big Jim)
Trainer: Michael Laugher
Driver: Rohan Hillier
Has started to put it all together in his past two runs in the state. His standing start manners weren’t the best in the heat when finishing midfield. He contested a rating 70 to 79 event last Sunday, where he sat three-back the pegs before sprinting over the top of his rivals to score in 1m 57.1s for 1680m. His trainer told tasracing.com.au after that race that he was concerned whether the pacer could get the 2698m trip.

5. Check In (Mach Three)
Trainer: Ben Yole
Driver: Mark Yole
Led all the way to win a heat of the Tasmania Cup impressively three starts ago. He raced on speed in the final before finishing well down the track. He then led in the heat of this race last week, where he bowled along in front before being placed under pressure down the back straight. He is yet to win in seven starts in Launceston, but he has recorded two minor placings and has the manners early to put himself in the right spot.

6. Cullenburn (Christian Cullen)
Trainer: Ben Yole
Driver: Paul Hill
Contested both heats of this series and was defeated over 30m on both occasions. His standing start manners can be poor. He reared as the start was affected in the Tasmania Cup and then galloped out in the second heat of this race. He is another that is winless in eight tries in Launceston and will need a safe beginning and a lot of luck to go his way here.

7. Similan Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) (Emg)
Trainer: Kristy Butler
Driver: Paul Hill
Goes into this race fourth-up from a spell. He produced brilliant standing start manners to settle behind the leader in the opening heat before being shuffled back to end up four-pegs. He got held up behind tiring runners in the home straight and didn’t get a chance to be fully tested. He loves Launceston, 10 of his 15 wins have been there. Draw no help but should be considered for wider exotics.

8. Young Rooster (Well Said)
Trainer: Ben Yole
Driver: Olivia Weidenbach
Produced good standing start manners to lead in the opening heat before handing up to more fancied rivals in the race’s early stages. He battled away from the 400m when presented with clear air. He backed-up last week in a national rating event where he kept making ground off the track in a slick last half to finish 6.1m from Khaki Nui. Will need luck on his side here.

9. Boom (Alta Christiano)
Trainer: Todd Rattray
Driver: Rohan Hadley
Despite having a handy standing start record in New Zealand, his manners were appalling in last week’s heat, which saw him be tailed off throughout the 2698m event. Placed when first-up in the state three starts ago in a heat of the Tasmania Cup, he is a multiple Menangle winner and is in the mix on that form.

10. Racketeers Boy (Rocknroll Hanover)
Trainer: Troy Hillier
Driver: Charlie Castles
Was first-up for 266 days when chasing home Wheres The Gold in last week’s heat. He began well to settle on the back of the leader before finding clear room out three-wide at the 450m and moved up the straight well. He has finished in the top two placings in eight of his 17 standing start races and should take benefit from his first-up run and is a genuine first-four hope.

11. Sunny Sanz (Sportswriter) (10m)
Trainer: Kent Rattray
Driver: Gareth Rattray
He was placed in this race last year and has performed well since, including running a state record for a mile of 1m 54.1s last May. He won the Listed Devonport Cup in Launceston earlier this year. Although he failed to qualify for the Tasmania Cup when driven for luck, he contested both heats of the Easter Cup, including a third to Wheres The Gold when defeated 26.5m. A chance if he can reproduce his Devonport Cup effort.

12. Rackemup Tigerpie (Rock N Roll Heaven) (10m)
Trainer: Ian Stanley
Driver: Dylan Ford
He ran a much-improved race when placing in the first heat of the Tasmania Cup and backed that up with a third placing in the Group 1 Final. He was fourth in the heat won by Like A Wildfire, where he was last at the 800m before improving out three horses-wide. His past few runs have been his best this preparation and wouldn’t surprise here.

13. Wheres The Gold (Somebeachsomewhere) (20m)
Trainer: Emma Stewart
Driver: Mitch Ford
Is undefeated in five Tasmanian starts this year, including the states pinnacle, the Group 1 Ladbrokes Tasmania Cup two starts ago. He started off the front mark in that race and was allocated 20m for the Easter Cup heat, which he overcame with a 19.8m win after racing outside the leader from the 1700m in track record time. He only had five rivals on that occasion and he naturally has a lot more traffic to negotiate here, but he has the class to overcome it.

14. Harjeet (Rocknroll Hanover) (20m)
Trainer: Todd Rattray
Driver: Todd Rattray.
He has been here and done it all before, winning the prestigious race as the $1.70 favourite in 2018, in a track record time that stood for five years. He has had an injury-plagued career since, however, he lost no admirers, finishing fourth in the heat and final of the Tasmania Cup, and produced a brilliant heat run doing early and mid-race work and stuck on exceptionally well for third. Looks like one of the main chances.

15. Like A Wildfire (Big Jim) (30m)
Trainer: Emma Stewart
Driver: Allan McDonough
He was second in this race last year behind his stablemate Longfellow. He didn’t lose any admirers when fifth in the Devonport Cup at this track and distance in January. His individual time in that race unofficially broke the track record. He went back to Victoria and won the Horsham Cup. He then held the 2698m Launceston track record in his own right when winning his heat (subsequently broken), where he worked forward mid-race to sit outside the leader for the final 1300m before drawing clear in the straight. There is plenty of traffic in front of him, but he has the class to overcome the back mark.

Duncan Dornauf’s top four:

1. Wheres The Gold (13)
2. Like A Wildfire (15)
3. Harjeet (14)
4. Cool Water Paddy (1)

Best Bet: Race 9 – 2. Zeus Dan
Best Value: Race 7 – 3. Alberio
Multi Must: Race 4 – 2. Dream Maze

For complete race entries, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing