Racing
Defending champ among Hobart Cup noms
2025 winner Strawberry Rock is one of 16 horses among the first nominations for the $250,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Hobart Cup (2400m) on Sunday.
The defending champion had a grass gallop in Hobart on Monday morning with stablemate Ziryab, who has remained in the state after being a disappointing favourite in the $100,000 Summer Cup on 18 January. The pair are two of three Ciaron Maher nominations for the race, joined by Night Endeavour, who may be unlikely to make the trip after finishing a long way down the track in a BM84 at Caulfield last Saturday.
2024 Tasmanian Derby winner Bold Soul and 2025 Pakenham Cup winner Taramansour are the equal highest-rated horses of the nominations. Their 97 rating will see them carry top weight if they accept, and both connections have recently signalled their intent to make the trip across Bass Strait for the race.
Champion jockey Craig Williams is a confirmed visitor for the 2026 Hobart Cup, looking to add another success after wins in the race in 2008, 2009 and 2014. Williams will partner with Nick Ryan-trained Suntora, who was successful in last year's Strutt Stakes on Hobart Cup Day.
Nine of the 16 Hobart Cup nominations are Tasmanian-trained horses, headed by last year's Launceston Cup winner Distrustful Award and this year's Devonport Cup winner Asva.
Weights for the Hobart Cup program, which also includes the Group 3 Mystic Journey Stakes and Listed Thomas Lyons and Strutt Stakes, will be released by 16:00 on Tuesday afternoon.
The barrier draw for the Hobart Cup will be conducted at Ladbrokes Park, Elwick, at 10:00 on Wednesday morning.
Visitors dominate Derby noms
Nominations for Friday's eight-race Derby Day card in Hobart on Friday have also been released.
The $150,000 Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) will almost certainly head interstate, with eight of the 10 nominations trained outside Tasmania.
Last year's Derby win for the Leanne Gaffney-trained Likeakalix was the first local win in the race since 2016, so it has been a race traditionally dominated by visitors in recent years.
Friday's Hobart program contains the $85,000 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) and $75,000 Magic Millions 3YO/4YO Classic (1200m), races that have been shifted in 2026 from their usual spot in Launceston.
Aristopolos and Mazzini are likely to jump very short-priced favourites in the respective Magic Millions Classics, each carrying a $5,000 voucher for the winning trainer to be redeemed at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale on 23 February.
Check out our FREE full form, ratings for meetings in nine countries each and every day.