Ista Kareem Claims Launceston Cup

Wednesday, 27 February 2008 00:00

Rejuvenated jockey Danny Brereton sought the local advice of long-time friend and fellow rider Stephen Maskiell to help him win Wednesday's Group Three Launceston Cup (2400m) on topweight Ista Kareem.

Brereton and Maskiell were apprentices together at Caulfield in the early 1980s before going separate ways with Maskiell now a leading Tasmanian jockey who partnered St Andrews to two of his three Launceston Cup wins in 2000 and 2002.

After briefing Brereton about the quirks of the Tasman Park track, Maskiell talked Caulfield trainer Colin Little through the race as they watched together from the mounting yard.

"It was quite interesting to watch the race with Stephen as he sort of called the moves, `go forward, go back, slot in here, they will slow up here'," Little said.

Melbourne-based Brereton said he had maintained his friendship with Maskiell and owed the Launceston Cup, his first major race win in Tasmania, to the hoop.

"He gave me some advice and told me to come out and get going at the 500 metres," Brereton said.

"I owe him one."

Ista Kareem's chances were helped when the $3.50 favourite Britomart was scratched at the start after she lashed out and kicked the hinges off the gates on the starting stalls, sustaining a wound to her near hind leg which was later stitched.

"She just kept kicking and kicking," jockey Corey Brown said.

Her withdrawal left just eight runners and Brereton said the race panned out "beautifully" for Ista Kareem who settled closer than usual in fourth place.

"At the 600 metres I had plenty of horse there and thought I was on the best stayer and would get going," he said.

As he made his run Blake Shinn on Nine Wives made his move giving him a horse to follow.

"I was pretty confident because we had such a beautiful run," Brereton said.

Ista Kareem charged to the front soon after straightening and raced away to win the 2400m race by 1-3/4 lengths from Lady Atire who ran on from last, and Our Dashing Dane, who raced wide and finished two lengths away.

"It wasn't the strongest Launceston Cup ever but I'm very happy to win it," Little said.

Last year Little trained the quinella in the Hobart Cup when Blutigeroo beat Rubijon but after returning to Melbourne neither came back for the Launceston Cup.

Ista Kareem has won four of his 12 starts since joining Little's stable last winter following the retirement of former Adelaide trainer Jeremy Gask.

The seven-year-old's Adelaide owners are now keen for Ista Kareem to have another crack at the Adelaide Cup (3200m) on March 10 after he finished third to Exalted Time in 2006.

Ista Kareem has only 54.5kg in the Adelaide Cup but Brereton, a noted heavyweight rider, will easily make the weight after recently shedding five kilos in less than a week with the help of a nutritionist.

Little said he was hoping Ista Kareem would escape a penalty for the win against one of the smallest Cup fields on record.

PICS - Quentin Lang.