Britomart On Target For Launceston Cup

Sunday, 17 February 2008 00:00

Britomart earned a start in next week's $300,000 Launceston Cup when she outstayed her rivals over 2500 metres at Moonee Valley.

Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy said he would have to speak with owner Gerry Harvey first, but he felt the Group Three 2400m feature was the right race for the Zabeel mare after she accounted for Nine Wives ($6) and Video Star ($31) in Saturday's FCM Travel Hcp.

"You'd have to go after that wouldn't you," Hore-Lacy said.

"She's an improving stayer and has a lovely nature.

Ridden by Corey Brown, Britomart defied a betting drift to start the $4.60 favourite after opening at $2.80.

Brown brought her out of the pack with a well-timed run to claim the race by three-quarters of a length from Nine Wives.

Craig Williams had ridden the four-year-old at her past two outings but elected to partner Fuji Fantasy ($5) who finished seventh.

"He thought he had the better option. I love it when jockeys do that because they are always wrong," Hore-Lacy said.

Britomart, who is out of the Marscay mare Marshow, has now won five of her 15 starts.

Peter Morgan, trainer of the runner-up Nine Wives, may also target the Launceston Cup.

"If he'd won today I would have gone straight to the Adelaide Cup with him, but he might not get a run now," Morgan said.

"It knocked my socks off drawing the outside barrier.

"I might take him to Launceston now as I'd say he'd get a run there."

The Group Two $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) is run on March 10.

Morgan said Nine Wives would later be prepared for the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) at Flemington, a race the trainer won with Starpro.

Just over a week ago, Morgan claimed his biggest success when Mega Boss won the $200,000 Tasmanian Derby.

Last week's Hobart Cup winner Offenbach has been virtually ruled out of the Launceston race with trainer Darren Weir keen to prepare him for the Adelaide Cup.