| What | Launceston Cup Day 2022 |
| Where | Tasmanian Turf Club – Jellico St, Mowbray TAS 7248 |
| When | Wednesday, February 23, 2022 |
| First Race | 1:05pm AEDT |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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The Tasmanian Turf Club is scheduled to host a bumper 10-race card on Wednesday afternoon, headlined by the Group 3 Launceston Cup. HorseBetting’s Tasmanian racing expert has come up with top tips in the three black-type races as well as a best bet for the card. The track is rated a Soft 5 with the rail out 3m, and following Sunday’s meeting we expect coming off the rail in the home straight will be where the better ground is. Racing is scheduled to get underway at 1:05pm AEDT.
Launceston Cup Top Tip: Ho Ho Khan
The way Ho Ho Khan took out the Hobart Cup last time out suggests he is going to take a power of beating in the $250k Launceston Cup (2400m). The Mitchell Freedman-trained former Hong Kong galloper put four lengths on his closest rival in the Hobart Cup, and that looks great form considering he meets seven of those rivals again in this. The seven-year-old entire goes around with 61kg this time around, a 2kg weight increase, but that should not be an issue for a horse of this quality. Tahlia Hope will look to have him settled in the second half of the field, where she can have him moving approaching the home turn. His turn of foot is elite, so there is no reason he shouldn’t bring up consecutive Group 3 victories here.
Vamos Stakes Top Tip: Ayahuasca
The Group 3 Vamos Stakes for fillies and mares opens the quaddie on Wednesday, and we are expecting Ayahuasca to prove too good for this lot. The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr-trained daughter of Tavistock was pipped by subsequent Flemington winner Yonce at Caulfield on January 26 and brings in strong form lines for a race like this. She chased home Mr Brightside and Eagles Crag last campaign, and she should improve from that Caulfield run when she comes to Launceston second-up from a spell. The bay mare has one minor placing from her sole second-up run, showing she will handle the occasion. Look for Patrick Moloney to have her circling the field at the top of the home straight. Armed with a nice turn of foot, Ayahuasca should prove too hard to hold out. We are happy to take the $2.80 on offer from Ladbrokes.
Mowbray Stakes Top Tip: And Beyond
Following an eye-catching run in the Thomas Lyons Stakes last time out, And Beyond should prove too hard to hold out in the third leg of the quaddie. Having jumped in the air once the barriers opened, the five-year-old Wordsmith gelding was never going to win, but to get within two lengths of the winner shows his ability. Having been a fair way off the second-last horse in the running, this guy absolutely leapt out of the ground to finish sixth. If he can show better barrier manners on Wednesday, he will appreciate the step up to the mile from 1400m. With a similar finish to what he produced last time, And Beyond looks to be a great bet at $8.50 with Bet365.
Best Bet at Launceston: Broadway Babe
The Scott Brunton-trained Broadway Babe is a perennial non-winner, coming into this as a 10-start maiden, but has managed five runner-up efforts in her past six runs. She needs the race run to her liking, considering she is a backmarker, but it should work in her favour here with Warica set to provide a genuine tempo over 1040m. She is armed with a strong turn of foot but continually runs into one better on the day. This maiden affair is no harder than anything she has been racing in recently. With Blaike McDougall sticking on board, look for the Victorian-based hoop to have her moving approaching the home turn, where she can let down in the centre of the track and ultimately prove too hard to hold out.
Wednesday quaddie tips for Launceston
| Launceston quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 8-13 |
| Leg 2: | 1 |
| Leg 3: | 2-3-4-11 |
| Leg 4: | 1-2-4-9-12 |
| Investment: | $40 for 100% |
