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Trainer Adam Trinder is mapping a different course to the Launceston Cup for his bold front-running stayer The Risk Factor with the gelding lining up in Sunday’s Longford Cup (1800m) as his first serious lead-up to the Group 3 event at the end of February.

The Risk Factor finished third in last season's Launceston Cup over 2400m and because the gelding can't go a yard in Hobart, he has opted to choose the Longford Cup on grass to get the kilometers into his legs as he tunes up for the Group 3 event on February 22.

This is one of the strongest Longford Cups in recent years with corporate bookmakers offering each-way odds the field with the John Blacker-trained Swoop Dog the early favourite at $4.20 ahead of his stablemate Argyle Beach $4.60.

Troy Baker teamed up with The Risk Factor early this year to win the Sydeston Cup and he (Baker) has been booked for the ride on Sunday and it will be hist first time riding at the New Year's Day meeting.

The Risk Factor is a $6.50 chance but expect shorter than that come race start time.

Swoop Dog has had two starts this preparation finishing midfield in the Newmarket Handicap over 1200m and the weight-for-age Conquering Stakes (1400m) and while his best trip is 1600m, he is trained at Longford, and it is not a taxing 1800m.

Blacker could back the gelding up in next Friday's weight-for-age Tasmanian Stakes (1600m) or head to the Devonport Cup the following Wednesday.

Argyle Beach is a class four horse and owns the lowest rating (67) in the field of 10, but the five-year-old has been racing well of late in races well out of his class range, including an encouraging fifth in the Sheffield Cup (1650m) in Devonport last week.

The Scott Brunton-trained Vallabar has had one start back in Tasmania for a last of nine in the Conquering Stakes following a stint in the Northern Territory where he placed third in the Darwin Cup before winning the Belmont Stakes (1700m) at Katherine in August.