Darmanin, fresh from winning Sunday's Hobart Cup on Toorak Affair, will ride leading local contender Gee Gee Josie in the $150,000 Gold Sovereign Stakes.

Gee Gee Josie had been ridden exclusively by Siggy Carr in all her trials and races until Carr injured her shoulder just before the $100,000 Elwick Stakes three weeks ago.

She was replaced by Darmanin who made the most of the opportunity, guiding the filly to a strong win over Hot Relation and Entrapped.

"It was unfortunate that Siggy got hurt - this was her ride," the jockey said.

"I'm just thankful that Stuart (Gandy) gave me the opportunity.

"I watched her replays and thought she was unlucky at her previous start so I expected her to be competitive, which she was.

"She got tightened a bit in the straight but once she burst through a little gap and got into the clear she attacked the line nicely."

Gee Gee Josie's connections rewarded Darmanin by retaining his services for Tasmania's premier two-year-old race which he's yet to win.

He probably expected to win in 2018 when he rode favourite Mystic Journey but she could finish only fourth to Tiesto - the only time she's been beaten in Tasmania.

Darmanin's win on Toorak Affair gave him a full set of the state's major cups. He won the Launceston Cup on Prevailing in 2012 and Devonport Cup on Brilliant Jet in 2018.

Gee Gee Josie is $9.50 with Ladbrokes behind Tony McEvoy's Jyoti at $2.60, the David Hayes-trained Avenue Of Pleasure at $5 and fellow local Blushed at $8.

Quality Victorian greyhound Caishen stamped his authority on this year's Launceston Cup with a runaway heat win in 29.41 on Monday night.

However he came back to the field slightly when he drew box 8 for next week's final.

"It's not a good draw at all but I still think he's good enough to overcome it," said trainer Anthony Azzopardi.

"I'm told the six and seven cut to the fence so if he runs his sections from the heat, which were out of this world, he still should be good enough to lead."

Caishen recorded sectional times of 4.93 and 17.35 on his way to an 8-3/4 length win in easily the fastest of the six heats.

Azzopardi said owners Charlie and Matthew Riccio had suggested tackling the Launceston Cup after Caishen finished third in the group 1 Paws Of Thunder final at Wentworth Park on January 24.

He was $6 in the early Ladbrokes market but is now likely to be odds-on.

The other heat winners were Nitro Sambar (29.61), Wynburn Lethal (29.69), Connected (29.70), Outlaw Teddy (29.86) and Mr Camacho (30.04). Twisted Reality and Buckle Up Azona made the final as the fastest seconds.

Final box draw: 1. Connected, 2 Nitro Sambar, 3 Buckle Up Azona, 4 Outlaw Teddy, 5 Twisted Reality, 6 Mr. Camacho, 7 Wynburn Lethal, 8 Caishen. Res: Leica Prayer, Definite Signs.

Star four-year-old Sunny Sanz is expected to make his second appearance for the season in the $12,000 Carrick Cup on Saturday.

The 2650m standing start is for horses with a national rating of 75 or higher so with a 76 rating the Kent Rattray-trained gelding will be off the front.

Sunny Sanz resumed from a spell with a win in the Meander Valley Cup at Carrick on December 29.

The gelding boasts an impressive record of eight wins from nine starts including the $50,000 Globe Derby final last June.

However it could be even better if he hadn't been sidelined for 13 months by injury after winning his first three starts as a two-year-old.

The Carrick meeting is non-TAB but City Park Radio will provide the same coverage that won it a national media award last year.

Other attractions include a double-seater sulky race where the contestants will include jockeys Craig Newitt and Troy Baker and racing historian Craig Kettle.

The Tasmanian Harness Sale will be held between the last two races when there is a 75-minute gap.

The catalogue includes the first standardbred skewbald to be offered at public auction in Australia.