Brown in town on top gun

MELBOURNE Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown is confident he can make the most of his first visit to Hobart on Sunday.

Brown is booked to ride the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dee I Cee, which will carry the top weight in the Group 3 Hobart Cup at Elwick.

Ladbrokes has installed the gelding a $5 equal favourite with the Darren Weir-trained Andrea Mantegna.

Brown is one of the most widely travelled riders in Australia, but Hobart racegoers have yet to witness the star rider’s talent close-up.

“I don’t know why I’ve never been to Hobart because I’ve ridden in Launceston a few times, twice as an apprentice and later on for the Lee Freedman stable as a senior rider and I won a couple of times,” Brown said.

“But I’m looking forward to making the trip to Hobart for the first time this Sunday and I am very pleased to be on one of Gai’s horses.

“Gai made a decision a while back to target the Hobart Cup for Dee I Cee and his form is good going into Sunday’s race.”

Brown will also ride the Robbie Griffiths-trained twoyear-old Du Well in the $100,000 Elwick Stakes and the rider has accepted the ride aboard Abohar for Richard Laming in the $100,000 weight-for-age Thomas Lyons.

Dee I Cee is a winner over 1900m at Rosehill last August, but it was his most recent effort at Warwick Farm three weeks ago when second, beaten a neck, in the Australia Day Stakes over 2400m that convinced Waterhouse to send him to Hobart.

Seasoned Tasmanian mare Geegees Golden-girl fared well at the draw, with the Stuart Gandy-trained six-year-old to start from gate five.

“Barrier five is perfect for my mare because her rider Siggy Carr should be able to secure a good position early in the race and hopefully just off the speed,” Gandy said.

Up Cups won the race two years ago and went on to capture the Launceston Cup at his next start.

But last year the gelding suffered a leg injury.

He has returned to racing with a new trainer, Rhonda Mangan.

Mangan is confident the former dual cups winner has rediscovered his best form after finishing a game third at his most recent outing in the Summer Cup.

Andrea Mantegna fared well drawing barrier four, which will suit his on-pace style of racing.

Promising young stayer Earl Da Vinci, from the Scott Brunton stable, drew gate one while recent Brighton Cup winner Eastender will start from gate six in the field of 11 with Craig Newitt to ride.

The horses to fare poorly at the draw were South Australian mare Pretty Punk that drew 10, Summer Cup winner Fastnet Dragon, who will jump from gate nine, and Devonport Cup winner Brilliant Jet, who drew the outside barrier (11).