Eastender completes Tassie sweep, eyes Adelaide

4 min read

By Bren O'Brien

Emerging stayer Eastender (Tickets) has completed a sweep of the Tasmanian Cups, becoming the first horse in 42 years to win the Devonport, Hobart and now Launceston Cups.

The G2 Adelaide Cup now looms for the 5-year-old after a brilliant ride from Craig Newitt delivered him the $250,000 G3 TAB Launceston Cup on Wednesday.

It was a significant win for trainer Barry Campbell, who had won every other main race on the Apple Isle but had yet to taste success in the rich Mowbray feature.

It was also a huge return for the faith that Campbell's sister-in-law Denise Martin has shown in the Tasmanian industry, having bought Eastender for just $22,000 at the Tasmanian Yearling Sale under Star Thoroughbreds.

"I'm immensely proud of the horse, I'm immensely proud of the stable and I'm immensely proud of Craig and the owners with whom we are racing," Martin said.

"It’s just a dream, it’s unbelievably special."

Campbell and Martin were ready to give Eastender away as a riding pony after his first two starts, but kept the faith and pushed him up in distance

"It was Barry's call to train him over a trip. We did that and now he's a hugely promising stayer," she said.

Martin confirmed that the stayer would likely go to the Adelaide Cup next month before heading towards the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. at Flemington in May, which is now a ballot-free race for the G1 Melbourne Cup.

The star stayer Brallos (NZ) (Oncidium {NZ}), who would go on to contest the 1977 Melbourne Cup, was the last horse to win all three major Tasmanian cups.

Last piece of the puzzle for Campbell

That history was not lost on Campbell, who has spent much of his career trying to win the Launceston Cup.

"It’s not easy to do, but he's been going well and it’s just one of those preps where everything has been perfect," he said.

"We’ve now won every race run in Tasmania. It took me 40 years to do it and this was the only one we hadn't won." - Trainer Barry Campbell

"To me, we’ve now won every race run in Tasmania. It took me 40 years to do it and this was the only one we hadn't won."

"I thought I was going to die and never win it, but now I can die happy."

Barry Campbell, Denise Martin and Craig Newitt after Eastender's win in the Hobart Cup

Newitt has been a huge part of the Eastender success story, and his ride on Wednesday matches the perfect steer he gave the horse in both the earlier Cup wins.

Initially back in the field along the rail, he picked his way through as fancied runner Etymology (New Approach {Ire}) and Second Bullet (Encosta De Lago) came off the rail to make their runs.

He then just had to get to the outside of leader Fabrizio (High Chaparral {Ire}) and while he took most of the Launceston straight to run him down, he had half a length to spare on the line, with Lamborghini (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}) tracking him through to run third.

"I've been lucky enough to be associated with some good horses in my career and while he's not the best, by gee he tries hard and he's got a big heart." - Jockey Craig Newitt

"He's just a special little horse. I've been lucky enough to be associated with some good horses in my career and while he's not the best, by gee he tries hard and he's got a big heart," Newitt said.

"We'll go to Adelaide next and it will take a good one to beat him there."

Hellova millionaire

Earlier, Hellova Street (Helike {USA}) passed the $1m in prizemoney with his ninth stakes victory in the Listed Steve's Liquor Mowbray S.

Now a winner of 18 of his 45 starts, the 8-year-old proved too tough for Zatacla (Al Maher) and Kenjorwood (Snippetson).

Former Victorian trained mare Twitchy Frank (Choisir) proved too classy in the other stakes race on the card, the G3 Vamos S.

In a good omen for jockey Anthony Darmanin and trainer Adam Trinder, who combine in Saturday's G1 Australian Guineas with Mystic Journey (Needs Further), Twitchy Frank proved too strong late on, defeating the Scott Brunton pair I Remember You (Written Tycoon) and Life On The Wire (Pluck {USA}).