Hobart Cup Trivia
- Thursday, 30 January 2003 00:00
Former crack Australian and international jockeys and great mates Arthur "Scobie" Breasley and Ron Hutchinson have fond memories of the AAMI Hobart Cup.
With his only ride at the Elwick track, Scobie rode the 1947 AAMI Hobart Cup winner Wingfire for trainer Cecil Crossin and Hutchinson was successful in successive years, winning in 1952 on Royal Release and 1953 aboard Sir Legis.
Forty years later, Hutchinsons son Peter ("the laughing jockey") won the 1993 AAMI Hobart Cup on the Bart Cummings-trained Frontier Boy. One year earlier he was runner-up on the same horse for trainer David Hayes.
They are the only father-son combination to have ridden AAMI Hobart Cup winners.
Now a trainer, Ron Hutchinson has the former Lindsay Park galloper Old Tawny among his charges.
Modern jockeys record
Current Tasmanian jockey Stephen Maskiell has the best modern day record of AAMI Hobart Cup victories with three, one clear of Kevin Dodge, who had back-to-back successes in 1994-95 with Southern States and Courtly Way.
Maskiell won last years race in record time (2:27.65) aboard St Andrews to add to his previous wins on Nakagima (1989) and Russian Rogue (1992).
Four to beat
Eddie Cox and Edwin Power share the AAMI Hobart Cup record of four wins. Cox, the states leading rider for 17 consecutive seasons, won on Stylish Lady (1938), Seriki (1955 and 1956) and Welton (1961).
The record had been set 67 cups earlier following Powers victories on Chaldean (1889), Macquarie (1890), Hopetoun (1892) and Amadeus (1894).
Until her accident that ended her career in May, 1998, Beverley Buckingham was on her way to the record following successes in 1986 (Dark Intruder), 1996 (Jam City) and 1998 (LEspion). In 1986, Beverley became the first female to ride an AAMI Hobart Cup winner and the victory was more special as her father, Ted Buckingham, trained Dark Intruder.
Quinella success
Elwick based trainer Gary White provided the AAMI Hobart Cup quinella when LEspion defeated Free Beer in 1998. Prominent Tasmanian thoroughbred breeder Brian Higgins bred both horses. The previous trainer to quinella the race was Andy Robertson with Welton and Dark Spot in 1961.
Flying feat for Barts Boy
Cups king Bart Cummings, who was among the spectators when St Andrews won the race last year, has an AAMI Hobart Cup among his string of big race victories around Australia. In 1993, his Grosvenor six-year-old, Frontier Boy, led all the way in a controversial AAMI Hobart Cup. The race club had delayed the race start for more than an hour due to the aircraft carrying interstate starters, including Frontier Boy, having been late in departing from Melbourne.
Murphy and Smith victories
The late trainers Geoff Murphy and Tommy Smith, father of Gai Waterhouse, are among the many interstate trainers to have enjoyed AAMI Hobart Cup successes. A Caulfield-based trainer, Murphy won in 1973 with Sir Trutone, ridden by Alan Trevena, and in 1987 when Gary Willetts piloted Cylai. Sydneys most outstanding trainer, Smith won in 1982 with Powerful Prince, providing jockey Malcolm Johnston with his second victory in the race after his 1979 success on Kubla Khan.
Training record is safe
Current trainer Brian Lomasney, who prepared AAMI Hobart Cup winners Macdella (1964-65) and Delarus (1969) is only halfway there in catching the race record-holders Dick Abbott and Bill Clare with six wins each.
And Brian wont make ground this year as he does not have a cup starter. However, those who could close on his tally are dual winners Gary White, successful with Lord Baracus in 2000 and LEspion in 1998 and Longford mentor George Blacker, who scored last year with St Andrews and previously with Courtly Way in 1995.
Bracknell trainer Helen Patterson, the first female trainer of a Hobart Cup winner with Viscount Geoffrey scoring in 1984 and then adding another with Macbyrne in 1985, does not have a starter this year.
Joint record holder Abbott trained the winners Moeraki (1919), Nadir Shah (dead-heat 1920), Talisman (1921), Royal Simon (1926 and 1931) and Prince Viol (1929). Clare set the precedent with The Assyrian (1883), Chaldean (1889), Macquarie (1890), Music (1895), Timbrel (1901) and Flavel (1912).
Rare back-to-back wins
St Andrews would further prove to be one of the states most outstanding stayers should he follow last years AAMI Hobart Cup victory with success again in 2003. No runner since the New Zealand-bred Brallos in 1976-77 has scored successive victories in this event.
Previous back-to-back winners include Roonsleigh (1927-28), Serjki (1955-56) and Macdalla (1964-65).
Helen Patterson was the last trainer to have consecutive AAMI Hobart Cup victories with Viscount Geoffrey (1984) and Macbyrne (1985). Longford trainer George Blacker has the task this year.
Media Release - AAMI Hobart Cup
