QUALITY Victorian stayer Akzar heads the 28 nominations for the $225,000 Hobart Cup at Elwick on February 9.
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The Darren Weir-trained eight-year-old has a handicapper rating of 105 and is likely to share topweight with local star Geegees Blackflash.
Weights for the 2400-metre group 3 race will be released at 3pm tomorrow.
Akzar won the Warrnambool Cup last year and has raced at group 1 level, finishing fourth in the Doomben Cup last May.
He was having his second run since a spell when runner-up to Jacquinot Bay at Flemington 19 days ago.
Weir has an outstanding record in the Hobart Cup, having won with True Courser (2006), Offenbach (2008), Gotta Keep Cool (2009) and Hurdy Gurdy Man (2013).
The 28 nominations are an increase of 10 on last year.
There are 17 entries from interstate stables including representatives of leading trainers Peter Moody, Tony McEvoy, Robert Smerdon, Kris Lees, Mike Moroney, Colin Little, Terry O’Sullivan and Robbie Laing. Moody, McEvoy, Little and Smerdon are all past winners of the race.
Tasracing chief executive Eliot Forbes said he was equally impressed by the quality of the local entries.
“The 11 locally based nominations include 2012 winner Geegees Blackflash, the Scott Brunton-trained Banca Mo and the Bill Ryan-trained pair Iggimacool and Genuine Lad,” he said.
Forbes said the $100,000 Tattsbet bonus for any horse that could win both the Hobart and Launceston cups in the same year had played a part in increasing nominations.
“The cups double has created a lot of interest among local and interstate owners and trainers,” he said.
“This is particularly the case after Mick Kent and Epingle won both cups last year – the first time it had been done since 2004. They demonstrated that with the right horse, the cups double is certainly achievable.’’
ENTRIES – Akzar, Another Lad Al, Banca Mo, Cooldini, Crime Fighter, Desert Road, Escado, Falamonte, Garud, Geegees Blackflash, Genuine Lad, Gold Medals, Hold True, Iggimacool, Jakcorijim, Keukenhof, Lucky Lucky Lucky, Magnapal, Oerter, Ollie’s Gold, Oriental Lady, Pelicano, Perplexing, Phantom Brew, Player One, Scelto, The Ghanman, Tooleybuc Kid.
