Ubriaco aimed at Cup
TRAINER Glenn Stevenson is hoping his lightly raced four-year-old Ubriaco develops into a genuine Devonport Cup prospect.
Ubriaco scored a decisive win in Devonport last Sunday in a benchmark 68 handicap that also gave his rider, stable apprentice Codi Jordan, her third win on the eight-event card.
The gelded son of Unencumbered was passed in at the 2019 Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale when bidding stopped at $12,000, which was $8000 short of his reserve, but he was subsequently sold for an undisclosed sum and landed in Glenn Stevenson’s Wesley Vale stables.
“I’ve had an opinion of this horse from day one and at the end of his last preparation he really started to show good things,” Stevenson said.
Ubriaco won three in succession at the end of his last preparation in February and it included an impressive performance to win a benchmark 62 over 1600m to make it two wins over that trip, suggesting he might be able to get to the Devonport Cup over 1880m.
“I’ll look at giving him a run over 1880m in Devonport before I give him a spell. If he does well, we’ll most likely make the Devonport Cup one of his targets next prep.”
Ubriaco has had only 13 starts for five wins and two minor placings for just over $100,000 in stakes. APPRENTICE Chelsea Baker hasn’t missed riding at least one winner at a meeting since the end of May and last Sunday she snared another double, courtesy of top rides aboard the Liandra Graytrained Tilltherewarsyou and Trojan Storm for Cressy trainer Cameron Thompson.
Baker’s ride on Trojan Storm might have looked a bit ugly but she was riding to instructions by keeping the gelding three-wide without cover near the rear of the field, to allow the gelding to race relaxed without any pressure. “Chelsea rode Trojan Storm as instructed and you can’t ask for more than that, win, lose or draw,” Thompson said.
Baker only started race riding in March and from 149 rides has amassed 27 winners and 63 minor placegetters for stake earnings of almost $560,000. The talented rider has a winning strike rate of 18.1 per cent and a place strike rate of 60.4 per cent.
AFTER winning a maiden at Casterton for Victorian trainer Patrick Payne, three-yearold gelding Master Sun made his way into the Mark Ganderton stable near Devonport and prior to his first start the gelding was expected to show up at his Tasmanian debut.
However, his first start looked a shade disappointing as he finished last of six and almost 10 lengths from the winner to justify an incredible betting drift from $2.50 to start at $4.40. But at Spreyton on Tuesday the gelded son of
Fighting Sun won a trial brilliantly over 800 metres to suggest all is now on track with the three-year-old.
Master Sun has been nominated for a 3YO Handicap in Launceston on Sunday and connections will be chasing a $20,000 Tasbred Bonus that is attached to the race.
The gelding was sold at the 2021 Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Seale to John Foote Bloodstock for $36,000.