3 minute read

Premier trainer Scott Brunton has been scratching his head this week trying to work out how he can manage taking over 30 of his stable tenants to the meeting in Hobart on Sunday.

In Brief

• Brunton stable to take over 30 horses to Sunday's meeting in Hobart.
• Galenus appears Brunton's best on nine-race card.
• First Accused can turn the tables on Algernon in 3YO Autumn Classic.

This will be the highest number of horses Scott Brunton has saddled up at any meeting and he will be relying on the expertise of his staff to manage the process successfully.

"It's a big task to take over 30 to a meeting but I have a lot of horses in work that are ready to race," Brunton said.

The stable has a strong presence in the $50,000 Aviso Tas Pink Cup 3YO Autumn Classic in likely favourite First Accused and lesser light Shanoa that is having only her third race start.

"I was happy enough with First Accused run two weeks ago behind Algernon and while he should be better suited to the 1400 metres on Sunday, I have a huge respect for Algernon, and it will be interesting to see how that clash pans out.

"I am quietly confident that my horse is the best in the race but had this been over 1600m I would have been more confident.

"I have race penciled in a race in Victoria at the end of the month over 1600m and that is his main target this time in."

Shanoa was ninth last start and beaten six lengths but she got fizzed up in the mounting yard and ran accordingly.

"Shanoa definitely got herself worked up before the race last start but she has benefitted enormously from that run and I am expecting her to be top three on Sunday."

Sir Da Vinci lines up in the opening race over 2100m and comes off a win at Kyneton over 2800m that followed a maiden win in Launceston over 2100m.

"Sir Da Vinci took forever to win his maiden, but I schooled him over the jumps before his maiden win and it seems to have revitalised the horse and he took that winning form to Kyneton.

Brunton has entered his filly Tappa Pass in the $50,000 Ella Bache Hobart Tasmanian 2YO Sires Produce up against the unbeaten Turk Warrior that is likely to start at prohibitive odds.

"I like Tappa Pass but because she wasn't Tasmanian-bred she couldn't run in the main lead-up race to the Sires two weeks ago, so she goes into Sunday's race first-up.

"I'm not saying she can beat Turk Warrior because he is a star, but my filly would have had a better winning chance had she been able to run in the main lead-up race over 1200m."

Brunton's best looks to be Galenus in race eight, a benchmark 78 handicap over 1200m in which he is top weight carrying 59kg.

"Galenus is a real good horse but he is a bit of nightmare to train because he's always got something going on that tries to get in the way with him racing.

"He is as good as the they get, and he knows where the line is, although he has started to pull up near the finish post, so I now have that to worry about, but if he takes his present form into Sunday's race, I expect him to win."