A near capacity field of 15 have accepted for the $250,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup in 2026. 10 of the 15 come via the recent Hobart Cup, won by Blonde Star by the barest of margins.
Matt Reid has provided his runner-by-runner preview, including assessed prices to 110%.
1 Major Beel (9) – Assessed price $5.50
The 2023 Group 1 ATC Derby winner has compressed the weights for this race with his 104 rating. Like most stayers, he’s found wins hard to come by since his Group 1, winning just 2 of 21 since then. He looks like a typical Waterhouse/Bott stayer, a tough on-pace type and his form is good enough to suggest he’ll run well here. In recent times, “different form” has been the right form for this race. Glass Warrior in 2021 was the last Launceston Cup winner to have run in the Hobart Cup at its previous start.
2 Taramansour (1) – Assessed price $4.80 fav
The presence of Major Beel provides significant weight relief from those at the top of the weights in the Hobart Cup, including Taramansour, who drops 3.5kg. Luke Currie made an early move in Hobart, and though the horse kept coming on the line, perhaps the 60kg told, given a 6kg weight swing on the winner. The barrier dictates an economical run and a key chance in the race.
3 Bank Maur (11) – Assessed price $25
Bank Maur didn’t beat a runner home as a $5.50 chance in the Hobart Cup and given the stewards’ report said the excuse was that he didn’t run the trip, it’s perhaps a surprise he is backing up in Launceston. That said, he drops 4kg, and Launceston tends to favour on pacers more than Hobart. I thought he was unders in Hobart, and I think he probably will be again here.
4 Blonde Star (5) – Assessed price $8.50
What a performance from Blonde Star to win the Hobart Cup. She was exposed a long way from home but toughed it out to win in a photo finish. I was very wrong about her staying the trip there, and she must be a leading chance off that performance. She’s drawn ideally, and she’s beaten the handicapper as she remains on the minimum of 54kg, despite rising 12 ratings points from her Hobart Cup win.
5 Strawberry Rock (6) – Assessed price $16
It was an honest run from Strawberry Rock in Hobart, finishing midfield as he defended his 2025 title. He’ll appreciate the weight relief from not only Hobart, but this race last year, when he only beat one runner home with 59kg. I can only rate him a minor winning hope, more of an exotic player.
6 Distrustful Award (12) – Assessed price $7
The flashing light run from the Hobart Cup, Distrustful Award appears to be at his peak as he looks to go back-to-back in the Launceston Cup. He flopped out of the gates last year when he won, but was still too good despite being forced to round the field. Launceston Cup Day is the last meeting for Chloe Wells in her apprenticeship, and it would be some way to enter the senior ranks with a Launceston Cup win.
7 Asva (4) – Assessed price $27
It was chocolates to boiled lollies for Asva in the Hobart Cup. After outstanding performances in the Devonport Cup and Summer Cup, Asva was wide without cover for the first half of the race in Hobart and weakened accordingly. He has a much softer draw here and could easily improve.
8 Wineglass Bay (14) – Assessed price $30
I thought Wineglass Bay ran as well as he could in Hobart; his winning chances perhaps disappeared as the rain cleared and the sun came out. Tough draw for Jabez Johnstone to overcome, but if he can slot in, I could see another midfield finish.
9 Ziryab (2) – Assessed price $5
The market was very forgiving of Ziryab’s unplaced Summer Cup run as a $2 favourite and rightfully so. He was clearly the best of the on pacers in Hobart, sitting up on a strong speed and only losing the race as the photo didn’t go his way. He meets key rivals from the Hobart Cup worse at the weights, but he’s got a soft draw and the very strong recent SPs. Hard to beat.
10 Fast Thinker (8) – Assessed price $50
Distrustful Award did the Longford Cup/Launceston Cup double last year, can Fast Thinker repeat the dose? The 9yo keeps stepping up to the mark, but he has a task ahead of him, given the rise in class and the amount of potential leaders in the race.
11 General Assembly (15) – Assessed price $200
It was an improved run from General Assembly in the Sydeston Cup, but that class is a long way off this, and he gets no weight relief from that run.
12 Ashfall (7) – Assessed price $100
Probably outperformed his SP ($91) by beating a few runners home in the Hobart Cup, and I can’t realistically expect too much more here.
13 Zulu Angel (13) – Assessed price $125
Zulu Angel settled midfield in the Hobart Cup but found those that finished ahead of him in a different class. Perhaps another decent run here will have him on course to defend the St Leger he won in 2025.
14 Golden Prophet (10) – Assessed price $150
He’ll appreciate a genuinely run 2400m, but he’s a 70-rater, and that’s his grade. The horses down in the ratings are awfully treated at the weights in this year’s Cup, even more so than usual.
15 No Rumours (3) – Assessed price $35
Hard to believe that the BM64 on Hobart Cup Day will produce the Launceston Cup winner, but as mentioned earlier, different form can be the right form for this race in recent times. He’s a 5yo winner of two races, who on paper, looks outclassed, but the stable certainly warrants respect as they showed with a winning double in Hobart.
