Hobart Cup: Maskiell chasing record

News / Timeform / 09 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

The Hobart Cup takes place on Sunday.

"Roi D'Jeu carried 56kg in the Trentham Stakes and is not harshly treated in the Hobart Cup with 55.5kg..."

The connections of Kiwi stayer Roi D'Jeu have enlisted expert local knowledge by engaging Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame jockey and seven-times premiership winner Stephen Maskiell to ride the six-year-old in Sunday's $225,000 Hobart Cup...

The unexpected engagement gives Maskiell the opportunity to join illustrious company should he win the Group 3 event for the fourth time in career.

With four wins Maskiell will join the legendary Tasmanian jockeys Edwin Power and Eddie Cox as Hobart Cup record holders.

Power, Tasmania's leading rider in the late 1800s, recorded his Hobart Cup wins on Chaldean (1889), Macquarie (1890), Hopetoun (1892) and Amadeus (1894).

Cox, who was the state's leading rider for 17 consecutive seasons, won Hobart Cups aboard Stylish Lady (1938), Seriki (1955 and 1956) and Welton (1961).

Roi D'Jeu, prepared by Shaune Ritchie, has been set for the Hobart Cup (2200m) since his owners decided to bypass the recent Wellington Cup as a protest against his handicapping in that feature event.

They were upset by the weight he received in the Wellington Cup after he finished second in the Group 3 Trentham Stakes (2100m) on January 21 won by Six O'Clock News. A week later Six O'Clock News won the Wellington Cup.

Roi D'Jeu carried 56kg in the Trentham Stakes and is not harshly treated in the Hobart Cup with 55.5kg, the six-year-old Montjeu gelding having recorded four of his eight career wins in the past 12 months including the Te Aroha Cup (2100m), Summer Cup (2400m) at Trentham and Thames Cup (2000m) in his start prior to his second in the Trentham Stakes.

Roi D'Jeu will face nine rivals in Sunday's event, including current market leader Geegees Blackflash. Other opponents include Rainbow Styling, Fieldmaster, Dream Flyer and Viking Hero.