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 2200 metres and worth $225,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Hobart Cup was won by Bid Spotter from Organised with Davcon third.

One of only three group races held in Tasmania each year, alongside the Gr3 Launceston Cup & Gr3 Bow Mistress Stakes, 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.

Hobart Cup info
Date:	Sunday 12th February 2012
Track:	Hobart racecourse, Hobart
Distance:	2200 metres
Race Type:	Open Handicap
Status:	Group 3
Prizemoney:	$225,000
2011 Winner:	Bid Spotter

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.

Bid Spotter (2011) ran third in a 2400m event at Warwick Farm in Sydney before travelling to Hobart to win this race and recent Hobart Cup winners include Growl (2010) and Gotta Keep Cool (2009).

2011 Hobart Cup result
1. $8.20 Bid Spotter 54.5 M Rodd
2. $18.10 Organised 53.0 D Pires
3. $18.00 Davcon 53.0 L Coffey

Then followed:
4. $7.10 Red Buttons 57.5 B Rawiller
5. $5.60 Dream Pedlar 59.0 C Williams
6. $6.00 White Yard 53.0 C Newitt
6. $133.00 Skystreamer 53.0 J Maskiell
8. $14.90 Abitofado 54.5 C Symons
9. $7.40 Fast Future 56.0 J Mott
10. $19.30 Forbidden Quest 54.0 D Gauci
11. $81.60 Geegees Blackflash 53.0 B Egan
12. $17.40 Guest Wing 55.5 D Nikolic
13. $6.80 Mr Tipsy 57.0 B Melham
14. $238.70 Stadacona 53.0 J Blacker
15. $39.80 Testasaurus 53.0 C Lindrop
16. $161.70 Family Trust 53.0 T Rodder

Margins: 1/2 len, 1/2 len
Time: 2:16.94

Hobart Cup recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
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