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Former Victorian six-year-old Lord De Vinci is set to establish himself as the new star of Tasmanian racing in the $100,000 Newmarket in Launceston on Wednesday night.

Lord Da Vinci is undefeated in four starts in Tasmania since he joined the Scott Brunton stable from Victoria eight months ago.

Lord Da Vinci was sacked from the Victorian stables of Sam Pritchard-Gordon after winning three of his first 23 starts but one of the gelding’s owners Wayne Notman believed the horse had more to give so he bought out his partners and sent him to Tasmania.

Lord Da Vinci won his first race in Tasmania in April when an impressive five lengths winner of a Class 3 event over 1200m at Elwick and a month later he added a BM 82 event over the same course on a heavy track.

He ended his first Tasmanian preparation in June with an emphatic win in a Class 5 at over the Newmarket course at Mowbray by four and half lengths.

After a four months spell the Lonhro gelding resumed with an impressive win in an open handicap at Elwick on October 12 defeating Newmarket rival Gee Gee Red Prince to keep his unbeaten Tasmanian record intact.

Brunton has since given Lord Da Vinci a 900m barrier trial at Elwick on November 8 where the rejuvenated sprinter cruised home by almost four lengths, running his last 600m in a slick 33.65 seconds under a hold.

“Just on his trial performance last Tuesday I have no doubt the horse is going to be a serious chance to win the Newmarket,” Brunton said.

“Lord Da Vinci has taken it all in is stride this preparation and while he has yet to be tested against the best sprinters I don’t think he will be out of place in the Newmarket.”

Tasmania’s premier jockey David Pires has been aboard Lord Da Vinci in all of his four starts for Brunton and retains the mount on Wednesday night.

He faces the challenge of brining Lord Da Vinci from barrier 15 but several major rivals have also drawn wide gates including Hellova Street (14) and Admiral (13).

Hellova Street, also trained by Brunton, has won the past two Newmarkets and is also in top form having won the Goodwood Handicap (1100m) in Hobart last week.

Brunton would not be drawn into making a choice between his two stars other than to say Hellova Street has proven his worth in elite sprints while Lord Da Vinci is an unknown quantity at that level.

The Stuart Gandy-trained pair of Geegees Doublejay and Gee Gee Red Prince have drawn gates seven and one.

Melbourne star Craig Newitt is booked to ride Geegees Doublejay while Daniel Ganderton retains the ride on Gee Gee Red Prince.

The Newmarket also marks the comeback of Tasmania’s great performer of the last decade Geegees Blackflash with Troy Baker booked to ride the Leon Wels-trained 10-year-old veteran.

“Geegees Blackflash is in good health and while he might struggle to win the Newmarket it is the only suitable race to start him off because he has such a high rating,” Wells said.

“We are all hoping he can make it to the major cups but we will get a better idea of where he’s at after the Newmarket.

“You have to know this horse to understand why he is back racing after what he went through.

“I know he has nothing to prove but he just wants to be a racehorse and we owe it to him to allow him that privilege.”

Geegees Blackflash endured two major operations to remove a life-threatening growth in his bowel and has been in work for five months preparing for a miraculous return to racing.