Weight drop fuels Asva’s Hobart Cup push

Wesley Vale trainer Glen Stevenson is confident his 2026 Devonport Cup winner, Asva, can give him his first success in a Ladbrokes Hobart Cup following the gelding’s solid second in the recent weight-for-age Summer Cup.

Asva delivered a career-best effort to win the Devonport Cup on 7 January and followed up with a game second to Bank Maur in the Summer Cup on 18 January.

“We had to give Asva a run before going to the Hobart Cup, and the Summer Cup was the logical choice, and I’m rapt with how he handled the trip (2200m) and the track,” Stevenson said.

“In these types of races, it is all about getting your horse to peak at the right time, and I am confident we have Asva exactly where he needs to be to win a Hobart Cup.”

“We will still have to have a bit of luck at the barrier draw, so ideally I’d love him to draw between gate one and four.”

Stevenson has yet to taste success in either of the state’s major cups, but he is becoming a deft hand at taking out his home town cup in Devonport.

“I admit the Devonport Cup was Asva’s main mission, but after his Summer Cup effort, I am more confident he is capable of more.”

“He carried 59kg in the Summer Cup and still showed a decent turn of foot when Codi (Jordan) asked for it, and he is going to drop to the minimum of 54kg in the Hobart Cup, and that’s going to be a big advantage.”

Bank Maur is likely to carry top weight given his high rating (94), which would give Asva at least a 5kg advantage for being beaten two lengths carrying level weights (59kg) over the 2200m of the Summer Cup.

Asva is yet to win beyond 2100m, but Bank Maur also is yet to win beyond 2200m, although he is the winner of an Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley as a three-year-old, and he has contested multiple races at the Group 1 level over varying distances.

Stevenson said he is not looking beyond the Hobart Cup with Asva.

“We will wait and see how he comes through the Hobart Cup, but that might be enough for him this prep.”