| St. Andrews has done an
"Ethereal" when he wrapped up the big Cups double, albeit in Tasmania, when he
streaked clear of his rivals to win this afternoon's $202,500 AAMI Launceston Cup at
Mowbray. Trained by George Blacker, St. Andrews
showed his class when he scored a good win in the Group Three Hobart Cup just over a
fortnight ago, beating Imax by a half length. The Michael Moroney trained Imax finished
third in today's race.
The St. Andrew story is an incredible one. He was purchased
by Blacker as a weanling for just $200. The gelding didn't even make it to the racetrack
until he was nearly a five-year-old - he was doing a great job early on as a lead pony! A
year after hitting the track the gelding hit the headlines when he won last year's
Launceston Cup.
In winning today's race the gelding ended a 25 year
drought. No horse had managed to win both the Hobart and Launceston Cups in the same year
since Brallos did just that in 1977.
Leading Tasmanian Stephen Maskiell, who missed the winning
ride on today's Oaks winner Abbadeena after being dumped after her last start defeat, was
at his best driving the seven-year-old to victory.
At the post the son of Aliocha was too classy for the John
Singleton owned and Tony Wildman trained Bondi Iceberg. Imax, as mentioned earlier, again
ran well to finish third.
With today's win the record of St. Andrews now stands at 40
starts for 10 wins, nine seconds and six thirds and prize earnings of $456,781. |
