Ciaron Maher claims first Hobart Cup with Strawberry Rock

One of Australia’s best horse racing trainers created another piece of history in the Hobart Cup on Sunday. Get the lowdown from the huge day of racing.

Strawberry Rock ridden by Declan Bates in Yellow coming towards the finish line at the 2025 Hobart Cup. Picture: Linda Higginson

Australia’s leading trainer this season, Ciaron Maher, claimed his first Hobart Cup (2400m) when landing the quinella in the Group 3 event at Elwick on Sunday.

It was eight-year-old gelding Strawberry Rock ($6.00) proving too good after sitting back in the field off a solid tempo, running down Promises Kept ($5.00) by a head, with Alhambra Lad ($18) a half-length away third in a time of 2:30.74s, only 0.53s outside the course record.

Ciaron Maher’s National Assistant Trainer, Jack Turnbull, was trackside for the win and was full of praise for the ride by winning jockey Declan Bates.

“It was a really smart ride by Declan. There was plenty of pace, and he was able to sit off, and when the timing was right, he was able to build into it, which he did successfully,” said Turnbull.

The Maher stable has been a regular at the Tasmanian Summer Festival of Racing in recent times, and several weeks ago, they identified both as potential contenders.

“It’s good prize money, even with the (Hobart and Launceston Cup) bonus an extra incentive, and it works out well to have a few runs in terms of their campaign here and then head home for a race like the Mornington Cup.

“It was always the plan to come down here for a couple of runs, obviously winning the Summer Cup and now the Hobart Cup. It’s fantastic, and it now sets both geldings on the way to the Launceston Cup.

“They will stay down here at Seven Mile Beach till then. They have really thrived down here at the beach, and these types of horses, which are usually stabled (at home in Victoria) and know the game and know what they are doing to have a change in environment, have really brought them on, and you can clearly see that in their results,” said Turnbull

Declan Bates said if the phone rang to ride the gelding in the Launceston Cup later this month, he would make the trip down.

“I love coming down here. It’s a beautiful part of the world, and if the phone rings again to ride him in Launceston, I won’t say no,” said Bates.

“My fella is a genuine stayer, and that good tempo certainly set it up nicely. He can sometimes be strong, but he relaxed nicely, and it was just a matter of building into the race at the right time.

“At the top of the straight, I felt he was going to win the race, but Ciaron’s horses are hard to pass, even when you are on one.”

Strawberry Rock wins the 2025 The Hobart Cup.Picture: Linda Higginson

MELHAM FIRES

Fresh off a Group 1 win in the C. F Orr Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, jockey Jamie Melham continued her winning ways, partnering Victorian filly Suntora to victory in the Listed Aviso Tas Insurance Brokers Strutt Stakes (2100m) for the three-year-old fillies at Elwick yesterday.

Melham positioned the filly at the tail of the six-horse field before improving into the race from the 500m.

The Nick Ryan trained filly was backed in from $3.00 into $2.25, and dashed away in the home straight to score by 1 1/2 lengths over Silver Dagger ($2.20 fav) with Snow Eagle ($9.50) 2 1/2 lengths away third in a time of 2:14.44s.

Ryan wasn’t trackside, but stable representative Brad Rantall explained that there had been some issues in the lead-up to the race.

“We have to thank farrier Liam Beamish. She pulled a shoe during the week, and she has bad feet. He did a good job getting her to be here today.

The win coincided with Melham’s first ride at Elwick.

“It was hard work pulling her up. She wanted to go another lap,” Melham said post-race.

“She will be strong over 2400m to 2500m down the track.

The filly flew into Launceston on Thursday morning and will remain in the state at the property of trainer Glenn Stevenson for the Tasmanian Oaks in Launceston on 21 February.

A MIGHTY UPSET

First Accused ($15) delivered a minor upset when winning the $125,000 Wrest Point Thomas Lyons Stakes (1400m) at Elwick yesterday.

Glenn Stevenson gave riding responsibilities to visiting Ireland jockey Shane Foley, who positioned the seven-year-old gelding behind the leader and was able to weave a passage through close to the inside to defeat Durazzo ($3.60) by a head and The Inevitable ($1.90 fav) a length away third in a time of 1:25.13s.

Both Durazzo and The Inevitable raced three wide throughout.

“We set the plan a while ago, and the team decided to go into it as fit as he can be but have him fresh in the head, and we got the job done, but it’s a great training effort by the whole team,” said Stevenson after the race.

“I told (regular jockey) Kelvin (Sanderson) that he was pulling the wrong rein wanting to ride Durazzo.

“We will go to the Hellova Street Stakes in Launceston on Cup Day now,” said the trainer.

Foley rode Promises Kept to second placing in the Cup and he was delighted to leave the state with Listed success.

“It’s some slight compensation.

“The team was full of confidence with him from a good gate. When I got stuck into him, he picked up, and it was a good win,” said Foley, who hopes to go back to ride in the state during the Launceston Cup carnival later this month.

Duncan Dornauf is also a race caller for Sky Racing