3 minute read

Pretty Punk fought off race favourite Andrea Mantegna to land the 2018 Hobart Cup under jockey Ben Allen.

Ben Allen, a late call-up for Craig Williams, put Pretty Punk up on the speed in a race that was steadily run through the middle stages and had her poised turning in with Andrea Mantegna hot on her heels.

She was good enough to see him off and land a second feature for the weekend for hall of fame trainer Leon Macdonald after Gogo Grace had run away with the Group 3 Bow Mistress on Friday. Macdonald was full of praise for Ben Allen.

"Sensational win. We brought her down here to win obviously, but when you get here races obviously get harder, and it looked a pretty even race between three of four horses I thought," Macdonald said.

"I know all jockeys ride well when they win but that was a superb ride by Benny Allen. I couldn't get over the run he gave her. If he had been beaten he had still made all the right moves.

"Tasmania has been a pretty happy hunting ground for us. We have two choices. Send her home now and go to the Adelaide Cup or head on to Launceston. When they are up and running maybe that is the way to go."

The late call up worked out perfectly for jockey Ben Allen who was originally looking to ride Night's Watch, who had beaten Pretty Punk at Caulfield in the lead-up, before a change of plans.

"I was originally meant to ride Night's Watch but they changed plans with that and it probably ended up working out for the best," said Allen who is no stranger to success in Tasmania having won the Launceston Cup last year aboard Big Duke.

Earlier on the card trainer Scott Brunton trained the first two past the post in the Listed Thomas Lyons Stakes with star galloper Hellova Street beating home stablemate Lord Da Vinci.

Hellova Street was of a 53-day break which followed a pair of surprise defeats but he was back in the form that saw him win at Group 3 level at Flemington over Melbourne Cup week.

"He's an outstanding horse. The best horse in Tasmania make no bones about it. He was carrying a few issues into his last couple of runs when he came back from Melbourne, and everyone was pretty quick to drop him, but get him on his A-game when he's right and he's unbeaten over here," said Brunton.

The Mowbray Stakes on Cup Day at Launceston is the next port of call for Hellova Street and jockey Jason Maskiell is keen to stay aboard the star galloper after winning the Lyons at what was his first ride on the horse.

"It's my first listed winner since I've been back. It's been a bit of a journey to get here. I'm just honoured to get the opportunity. I rang Larry the owner and asked if could have the opportunity, put a good case forward, and was lucky enough to get the opportunity and deliver on it," said Maskiell.