Geegees Goldengirl solid in the betting for the Hobart Cup

Locally trained mare Geegeees Goldengirl has remained solid in the betting in the lead up to the Group 3 $200,000 Hobart Cup (2400m) at Hobart on Sunday.

Trainer Darren Weir, above, will saddle up the odds on favourite Big Duke in the Hobart Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Trainer Darren Weir, above, will saddle up the odds on favourite Big Duke in the Hobart Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Geeegees Goldengirl has remained steady at $7.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au and trainer Stuart Gandy is giving her a great chance of knocking off the $1.85 favourite Big Duke after winning the $50,000 Summer Cup (2200m) at Hobart on January 22.

“Goldengirl comes off a very good win at weight-for-age in the Summer Cup over 2200 metres two weeks ago and she drops two kilograms on what she carried that day,” Gandy told The Mercury.

“From what she’s shown me this week she has improved from the Summer Cup run so we are expecting her to be hard to beat on her home turf.”

Geegees Goldengirl has found winning form at the right time with her Summer Cup win being her first victory since taking out the $100,000 Devonport Cup (1880m) at Devonport two starts before last year’s Hobart Cup.

The five year old mare has drawn perfectly at barrier four in the ten horse Hobart Cup field and will be ridden again by Sigrid Carr who has been her regular rider for the past two years, including her wins in the Devonport Cup and the Summer Cup, and will be aboard again on Sunday.

Owners Paul and Elizabeth Geard are hoping the good barrier draw will help Geegees Goldengirl go one better than last year when she finished second to Up Cups in the 2016 Hobart Cup.

“Goldengirl goes into this year’s Cup with great form and this barrier is perfect for her,” Paul Geard told The Mercury.

Top weight Up Cups has drawn barrier eight and will have to carry 58kg with Craig Newitt in the saddle and Ladbrokes.com.au have marked him at $19 to win back to back Hobart Cups.

The Darren Weir trained Big Duke is chasing a hat trick of wins after blitzing his rivals by four and a half lengths in an 1800m BenchMark 78 Handicap at Caulfield on December 26 followed by a win over 2040m in a BenchMark 78 Handicap at Moonee Valley on January 21.

Syndey based jockey Brenton Avdulla takes the ride on Big Duke who has drawn wide at gate nine while Kerrin McEvoy is aboard the $4 second favourite Cool Chap who will jump from barrier six.

Cool Chap will appreciate the step up to the 2400m of the Hobart Cup after running second to Big Duke over 204om in a BenchMark 78 Handicap at Moonee Valley on January 21.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.