Denise Martin may lack a participant in the feature race on the Launceston Cup program, yet the occasion on Wednesday could prove massive for Star Thoroughbreds.
The well-known purple and white silks of Martin will adorn top fancies across four contests surrounding the $250,000 Group 3 Cup, scheduled as Race 9 at 5.29pm.
Sanniya stands as the strong market elect for the supporting Group 3, the Vamos Stakes (1400m), set to unfold 35 minutes prior to the Cup, trailing Durazzo in the Listed Hellova Street Stakes (1600m) and Mazzini in the 3YO Classic (1200m), a $125,000 affair without Black Type status.
Star Thoroughbreds, alongside Tasmanian conditioner Barry Campbell, also fields Azonto in the closing 1200m benchmark 64 race.
These four entries are locked in a tight battle for top billing, featuring Sanniya and Mazzini as odds-on picks in their respective assignments, though while Sanniya chases a fifth consecutive triumph, Mazzini seeks redemption following the halt of his four-race winning run last time out.
The three-year-old son of Needs Further ended up fourth at $1.16 in the $75,000 Magic Millions 3&4YO Classic (1200m) during the Tasmanian Derby meeting on February 6, though Martin noted a potential explanation surfaced shortly afterward.
“When Barry took him home that night the horse ate up, he was not unsound, he was well, but we had bloods taken on him on the Monday and his iron levels were a little bit down,” Martin said.
“He had whatever is the usual supplement that vets make sure horses for blood irregularities like that have and since that time he’s been really good.”
Mazzini enters at $1.90 for the 3YO Classic, drawing gate two with Kelvin Sanderson in the saddle.
Craig Newitt handles Martin’s remaining trio, including Sanniya, the three-year-old daughter of Stratosphere with six victories from seven outings, at $1.55 stretching out past 1200m for the initial occasion.
“Craig is adamant that she will run 1400 metres,” Martin said.
The stable welcomes Mazzini‘s elder sibling Durazzo returning to Launceston, site of seven wins from eight attempts, as he aims to reverse a close loss to Steparty in the Listed Thomas Lyons Stakes on February 8.
“He seems to enjoy Mowbray even more than Hobart and he loves 1600, so I think the owners are very keen for another contest with Steparty to see if he can turn it around.”
Durazzo and Steparty headline a compact field of six in the Hellova Street Stakes, with Durazzo allocated the outer barrier and Steparty from post four.
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