A maiden Group win for both horse and rider when Ben Allen guided the Darren Weir-trained import Big Duke (IRE) to victory in Wednesday's $200,000 Group III Launceston Cup (2400m).
Given plenty of time to find his feet at the back of the field, Big Duke was asked to stride closer at the 800 metres.
Despite covering ground rounding the home turn, the 5yo son of Raven's Pass proved a length too good for his Hobart Cup conqueror Lord Da Vinci with Tuff Bickie (Reward For Effort) a half-length back in third. (photo Darryl Sherer).
The Australian Bloodstock colour-bearer raced in England as Swashbuckler.
Bred by Mount Coote Stud and Richard Pegum, Big Duke had four starts for a win and three placed before his import.
His overall record stands at 4 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from 10 starts with earnings of $255,424.
Weir said the Sydney Cup might be an option for Big Duke in the autumn.
"I don't know what they want to do. I'll have a chat to (managing owner Australian Bloodstock founder) Luke (Murrell) and see what they want to do,' Weir told Racenet.
"I think he'll go to Sydney. They might be pretty keen to target the Sydney Cup so we'll have a look at that and see what they want to do.
"He's only lightly-raced but the trips away will do him good, toughen him up. There's nothing like a trip away to bring a horse on."
"The run (in the Hobart Cup) toughened him up a bit. The weight (turnaround) was obviously good but the second horse ran great. Both horses ran well in the Hobart Cup and both horses ran well in the Launceston Cup."
A son of Darley Stud's Breeders' Cup Classic hero Raven's Pass (Elusive Quality), Big Duke (IRE) is out of the Polish Precedent mare Hazarayna a half-sister to Group III winner Hazarista (Barathea) who was placed in the Group I Irish Oaks and Group I Yorkshire Oaks and a half-sister to Listed winner
This is the family of the champion mare Streama.
