Eastender earned automatic entry to the $250,000 race with a last-to-first performance in last Friday’s Brighton Cup (2100m).

Campbell said the four-year-old would be suited by a month between runs.

“The only other option is the Summer Cup in a fortnight but I really don’t want to run him with 59kg at weight-for-age,” the trainer said.

“He needed a 2100m lead-up into the Hobart Cup which is why I bypassed the Devonport Cup to run in the Brighton Cup.

“He’s had four starts over 2100m and further and never been beaten.”

Eastender won his only start over 2400m when he put up a remarkable performance in last year’s Tasmanian St Leger.

Jockey Craig Newitt said he believed Eastender had the other local stayers covered and it would take a good interstate horse to beat him.

“They’d want to send something of similar quality to (last year’s Launceston Cup winner) Big Duke,” Newitt said.

Campbell’s talented three-year-old Pennstock failed in Friday’s $100,000 Tasmanian Guineas, but the trainer said the run should be ignored.

“The track got pretty wet after the storm came through and he just didn’t handle it,” the trainer said.

Outsider Overplay may have surprised some punters but not trainer David Miller with his win in the Tasmanian Guineas.

Miller said he was surprised the well-bred colt had been largely overlooked in pre-race discussions.

“I rated him a top winning chance given his recent form and the fact that he’d drawn a terrific barrier (1),” the trainer said.

“He was always going to get the run of the race.”

Apprentice Chris Graham gave Overplay a dream run behind the leader and went around only one horse on his way to a narrow win over another outsider, Double You Tee.

Miller is also a part-owner of the Written Tycoon youngster who he bred from his 2006 Tasmanian Oaks winner Darcenell.

Given his breeding, the colt should handle the step up to 2100m in the Hobart Guineas in a fortnight but Miller will monitor how he pulls up before locking in a start.