Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown is hoping his first trip to Hobart will be rewarded with a win on Dee I Cee in the Group 3 $250,000 Sky Racing Hobart Cup (2400m) at Hobart on Sunday.

Corey Brown, above on 2017 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling, will ride Dee I Cee in the 2018 Hobart Cup at Hobart. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Brown will ride the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Dee I Cee who has drawn nicely at barrier two in the eleven horse Hobart Cup field.

Brown will be having his first ride on Dee I Cee who is coming off last start second for Declan McDonogh behind Cordero in the Listed $150,000 Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm on January 26.

“I don’t know why I’ve never been to Hobart because I’ve ridden in Launceston a few times, twice as an apprentice and later on for the Lee Freedman stable as a senior rider and I won a couple of times,” Brown told the Tasracing News.

“But I am looking forward to making the trip to Hobart for the first time this Sunday and I am very pleased to be on one of Gai’s horses.”

Brown hit the spotlight during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival when he rode his second Melbourne Cup winner on the Irish stayer Rekindling adding to his victory in 2009 on Shocking.

Early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Hobart Cup has Dee I Cee on the third line at $5 alongside of the Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas trained Pretty Punk.

The Darren Weir trained Andrea Mantegna sits at the top of the market order at $4 just ahead of the locally trained stayer Eastender at $4.80.

Andrea Mantegna has also drawn nicely at barrier four and will be ridden by top Melbourne jockey Damian Lane.

Andrea Mantegna has been working his way up through the restricted ranks and heads to Hobart on the back of a last start win in a 2250m BenchMark 82 Handicap on the Morphettville Parks track at Adelaide.

Eastender is the most favoured local in the betting with two wins from his last three starts and has drawn in the middle of the field at barrier six with Craig Newitt maintaining his association with the four year old.