Hobart Cup

The Hobart Cup is a Group 3 open handicap race held annually each February at Hobart racecourse in Hobart, Tasmania. The race is run over a distance of 2400 metres and worth $225,000 in prizemoney. The 2013 Hobart Cup was won by Hurdy Gurdy Man from The Cleaner with Geegees Blackflash third.

One of only three group races held in Tasmania each year, alongside the Gr3 Launceston Cup & Gr3 Bow Mistress Trophy, the Hobart Cup is held during the Tasmanian summer racing carnival and is a major social event in the city of Hobart in Southern Tasmania.

A $100,000 Cups Double trainer-owner bonus was introduced during the 2012/2013 racing season for any horse winning both the AAMI Hobart and Launceston cups ($50,000 each), and this race also raised in distance from from 2100m to 2400 metres, the same distance as the Launceston Cup.

Hobart Cup info
Date:	Sunday 10th February 2013
Track:	Hobart racecourse, Hobart
Distance:	2400 metres
Race Type:	Open Handicap
Status:	Group 3
Prizemoney:	$225,000
2013 Winner:	Hurdy Gurdy Man

The Hobart Cup is widely considered the premier staying handicap race for thoroughbreds in Tasmania and much like the Tasmanian Derby for three-year-olds, usually attracts the best local gallopers available. Now and then an interstate horse may make the journey across to Tasmania in an attempt to gain victory in a black type Cup event.

More often than not, the Hobart Cup is simply a race for handy Tassie stayers and not a high quality affair, although it's worth noting that Blutigeroo (2007) went on to win the Gr1 The BMW a few weeks later at Rosehill racecourse during the Sydney autumn racing carnival in New South Wales.

Other notable races on Hobart Cup day are the listed Wrest Point Strutt Stakes & Thomas Lyons Stakes.

The natural progression from the Hobart Cup for stayers is the Launceston Cup in a couple of weeks time at Launceston and in recent times Itsa Kareem (3rd in 2008), Zacielo (2004) and St Andrews (2002) all went on to win the Hobart Cup & Launceston Cup double. Zavite (2nd in 2009) went on to win the Launceston Cup at his next start.

Hurdy Gurdy Man (2013) ran third in the Terang Cup over 2150m at Terang in Victoria before travelling to Tasmania to win this race for the Darren Weir stable and recent Hobart Cup winners include Geegees Blackflash (2012) and Bid Spotter (2011).

2013 Hobart Cup result
1. $3.80 Hurdy Gurdy Man 54.0 Glen Boss
2. $7.30 The Cleaner 57.5 Jason Maskiell
3. $9.50 Geegees Blackflash 59.5 Peter Mertens

then followed
4. $11.80 Lucky Angel 54.0 Chad Schofield
5. $8.90 Fieldmaster 55.0 Ms Michelle Payne
6. $6.90 Norsqui 56.0 Chris Symons
7. $8 Westsouthwest 54.0 Dwayne Dunn
8. $69.50 Success Dostta 54.0 Anthony Darmanin
9. $15.20 Dream Pedlar 56.5 Craig Newitt
10. $18.90 Power Broker 54.0 Stephen Baster
11. $27.50 Kenjorwood 54.0 Robert Thompson
12. $138.80 Gee Gee’S Boss 54.0 David Pires
13. $146.60 Testa Jesta 54.0 Miss Sigrid Carr
14. $48.50 Prevailing 55.0 Brendon McCoull
15. $215.50 Gee Gees Beauty 54.0 Rasit Yetimova

Margins: 1 1/4 len, Short head
Time: 2:33.30

Hobart Cup recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2013	Hurdy Gurdy Man	The Cleaner	Geegees Blackflash	2:33.3
2012	Geegees Blackflash	Viking Hero	Dream Flyer	2:17.8
2011	Bid Spotter	Organised	Davcon	2:16.9
2010	Growl	De Fine Lago	Dream Pedlar	2:15.1
2009	Gotta Keep Cool	Zavite	Dream Pedlar	2:15.6
2008	Offenbach	Jacques Le Naif	Ista Kareem	2:17.8
2007	Blutigeroo	Rubijon	Field Hunter	2:15.5
2006	True Courser	Di's Angel	Petite Oiseau	2:14.5
2005	Our Dashing Dane	Under The Bridge	Surge Of Power	2:08.0
2004	Zacielo	Dream Quest	Liquid Lunch	2:30.1
2003	Jeune's Mark	The Mightly Lions	St Andrews	2:29.7
2002	St Andrews	Imax	Lord Baracus	2:27.6
2001	Brorama Star	Lord Baracus	Naucho	2:31.8
2000	Lord Baracus	Break The Bank	Torbellino	2:31.0
1999	Future Shock	Sunny Lane	Mt Arthur	2:28.3
1998	L'Espion	Free Beer	King's Landing	2:31.0
1997	Palos Verdes	River Kwai	Pharagrove	2:30.7
1996	Jam City	Navajo Flash	Danby Road	2:29.6
1995	Courtly Way	Daacha	Ritzy Red	2:31.1
1994	Southern States	John's Way	Ciba Geigy	2:31.7
1993	Frontier Boy	Diamond Bases	Condies Lane	2:29.9
1992	Russian Rogue	Frontier Boy	Bicton	2:29.9
1991	Lady Have A Heart	Bitter Spring	Local Knowledge	2:28.3
1990	Firetap	Panneria	Lady Have A Heart	2:31.0
1989	Nakagima	Great Quest	Brave Tresspasser	2:27.2
1988	Brisque	Lloyd's Nijinsky	Big Band	2:27.8