FORMER leading trainer David Brunton came out of semi-retirement to win the $200,000 Hobart Cup for the first time at Elwick on Monday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Up Cups, one of only three horses that Brunton has in work, also gave jockey David Pires his biggest win when he narrowly beat top local mare Geegees Goldengirl and Victorian visitor Beliveau.
Brunton, a multiple premiership winner and Tasmanian Racing Hall Of Fame member, virtually retired from training several years ago and handed the running of his Seven Mile Beach complex to son Scott.
Up Cups is one of the few horses that he has kept in his own name ‘‘because I honestly didn’t think he was worth giving to Scott,’’ the trainer said.
‘‘I can remember sending him to the Longford meeting 12 months ago and saying that we’d never see him again – I was going to leave him there.
‘‘He’d been leading in his races and getting beaten but that day he got knocked over at the start and came from last to win.
‘‘From then on, we started riding him back in the field and he’s been a different horse.
‘‘But, having said that, I’ve never thought he was good enough to win a Hobart Cup.
‘‘In fact, I haven’t expected him to win any of his past three starts, but he has.
‘‘He’s certainly taken us on a weird ride.’’
Brunton said that Up Cups was nowhere near as good as some of his stable stars of the past – such as Banca Mo and Rum Corps – but they hadn’t been able to win a Hobart Cup.
‘‘Banca Mo had an interrupted preparation and Rum Corps ran fourth to a horse (Blutigeroo) that went on to win the group 1 BMW in Sydney,’’ the trainer said.
‘‘So it goes to show, you just have to be in the right place at the right time.’’
Brunton joked that, with the Hobart Cup ticked off his bucket list, he’d probably go back into permanent retirement.
But, before then, the $200,000 Launceston Cup at Mowbray in 15 days is beckoning.
Geegees Goldengirl, who was beaten by only half a length, and fourth placegetter Player One, beaten by less than two lengths, were also excellent Launceston Cup trials.
Heavily backed Hobart Cup favourite Quick Strike, trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Damien Oliver, broke his leg midrace and had to be put down.
