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Promising Tasmanian three-year-old The Inevitable will be a surprise absentee from next month’s $150,000 Tasmanian Derby at Elwick.

Trainer Scott Brunton will resist the temptation to step The Inevitable up in distance despite his easy win in last Friday’s Tasmanian Guineas over 1600m.

The Inevitable, a son of classy young sire Dundeel, is unbeaten in four starts this season and looks to have few challengers for supremacy among his local peers.

The Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) will be run at Elwick on February 8.

However Brunton has his eyes on a much bigger prize than the Tasmanian Derby as he believes The Inevitable can measure up as a contender for the $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 2.

“I was fairly sure he’d run out a strong 1600m but you never know for sure until they actually do it,” Brunton said after his Guineas win.

“I never make any decisions on race day. Where we go with him will depend on how the horse comes through the race.”

Promising stayer Appmat secured a start in next month’s $250,000 Hobart Cup (2400m) with a an all-the-way win in the Brighton Cup over 2100m at Elwick last Friday.

The Brighton Cup was the first of two races to offer the winner ballot-free entry into the Hobart Cup with the Summer Cup the remaining ballot-free race to be run on Sunday week over 2200m under weight-for-age conditions.

Appmat, trained by Brendan McShane, had won benchmark races over 2100m and 2400m at his two previous starts but needed to win the Brighton Cup to lift his low rating.

“We’ve always known that getting into the Hobart Cup would be the tricky part but now we don’t have to worry. That will be his next start,” McShane said.

“He is a dour stayer so he won’t need another run. If everything pans out we might even have a crack at the Adelaide Cup because 3200 metres won’t bother him.”

The TAB Hobart Cup will be run on February 10 followed by the $250,000 Launceston Cup (2400m) on February 27.

The $400,000 Adelaide Cup will be run on March 11.