3 minute read
There’s not much Brendon McCoull hasn’t achieved in Tasmanian racing. In a riding career spanning more than 25 years he has won more than 1400 races and has a record 14 Tasmanian jockey premierships to his credit.
He has also tasted feature race success from limited opportunities in Melbourne and Adelaide and has won every Group and Listed in Tasmania – bar one!
That race is the Group 3 Launceston Cup, an anomaly he intends to rectify on Wednesday when he rides the classy Godolphin stayer Etymology in the $250,000 feature event.
Godolphin is makings its first foray into Tasmania racing this summer and has already tasted noted success with wins in the Tasmanian Derby (Cossetot) and Strutt Stakes (Rock Dove).
McCoull had his first ride in the Godolphin colours when he won the Strutt Stakes at Elwick in Hobart on Rock Dove, a performance that landed him the prize ride on Etymology in the Launceston Cup.Etymology, a G1 placegetter in the Victoria Derby as a 3YO, has hit the form of his career over the last eight weeks with a treble of wins in Sydney and Melbourne including successive Listed victories in the Bagot Handicap at Flemington and Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm.
McCoull said he took the initiative to chase the Launceston Cup ride on Etymology when he learned that Godolphin planned to send the stayer to Tasmania.“After they booked me to ride Rock Dove I put out a feeler to see whether the ride on Etymology was available and I was lucky enough to get it,” McCoull said.
McCoull said that despite his outstanding career record he has rarely ridden a leading contender in the Launceston Cup with his best result a third placing on Dream Quest in 2004.“I can't recall many Launceston Cup rides on horses with a genuine chance,” he said.
"Etymology would be my best chance of winning it - he looks like a really good horse in a good race."He's in-form and he's a well-travelled horse so coming over here won't be a problem. He's certainly got a few things in his favour."
Seven of the 10 acceptors in the Launceston Cup will be ridden by interstate-based jockeys.
The interstate contingent comprises Stephen Baster (Fabrizio), Damien Oliver (Second Bullet), Michael Dee (Lamborghini), Stephanie Thornton (Snoano), Dwayne Dunn (Appmat), Luke Currie (Speed Force) and former leading Tasmanian apprentice Raquel Clark (Settler’s Stone) who has been taking all before her in South Australia.Champion rider Damien Oliver, always a popular visitor to the Tasmanian summer carnival, is sticking with last start Caulfield winner Second Bullet in a bid to win the Launceston Cup for a third time.
It’s been 20 years since Oliver won successive Launceston Cups on Kings Landing (1998) and Streak (1999).Melbourne’s jockey of the moment Luke Currie, a Launceston product, rides Speed Force fresh off recent G1 wins in the CF Orr Stakes and Blue Diamond Stakes.
Currie, the godson of Speed Force’s trainer Bill Ryan, has ridden in the Launceston Cup three times for a second on Gold To Go in 2014, third in 2016 on Schockemohle in 2016 and fourth in 2017 aboard Settler's Stone.Bill Ryan trained the 2015 Launceston Cup winner Genuine Lad.
