Del Rey Readies For Launceston Cup Defence

THE A Total Car Rentals sponsored Launceston Cup, staged at Group 2 level, is steeped in tradition, first staged all the way back in 1936.

The 2019 edition begins this Monday night with seven heats of the $40,000 to-the-winner feature to be run and won, where each of the seven heat victors and the fastest second will progress through to the following week's rich finale.

Six interstate chasers will contest the 2019 series, led by 2018 Launceston Cup winner Del Rey, the Queenslander returning to the TAB Racing Centre where she'll look to become just the third greyhound to claim back-to-back series wins.

The previous two greyhounds to lay claim to that feat are Mystery Bridge (1975/1976) and Fine Horizon (1999/2000).

Del Rey, trained at Park Ridge in Queensland by Tom Tzouvelis, has since gone on to claim further group status with victory in the Group 3 Gold Coast Cup at Albion Park, as well as making the final of the Group 2 Lismore Workers Club Cup (520m), Group 3 Ipswich Gold Cup (520m) and most recently, the Group 3 Queensland Cup (600m).

Winner of 20 races, the daughter of Milldean Panther and National Diamond has banked $138,655 in prizemoney and begins her Launceston Cup defence in terrific form this Monday evening.

Tzouvelis takes a two-pronged attack into this year's Launceston Cup series, with Brandi Alexander (Magic Sprite x Miss Lauryn), winner at nine of her 28 starts, taking her place in heat two from box one.

The daughter of Magic Sprite heads into the series as a last start Albion Park winner in 29.82 and has plenty of experience on the group racing stage, making several finals, including the Group 3 Ipswich Auction, Group 2 Queensland Futurity, Group 2 Western Australian Oaks and the Group 1 Brisbane Cup.

Group 3 Devonport Cup winner Corykodi will look to become the sixth greyhound to complete the Devonport Cup/Launceston Cup double (the last Pantera Nera in 2017), when he steps out from box six in the final heat for Lauderdale trainer Eric Haldane.

The son of Paw Licking and Dayseas Astra has won 27 of his 59 starts, including victories in the Billy Grice Memorial, Ipswich Sprint, Albion Park Young Guns and the time-honoured Pop Northfield Maiden Memorial at Casino.

Eric Haldane is no stranger to cup success at Launceston, winner of the feature at the former White City track with Wary's Desire in 1993.

Track specialist Just Browsing is considered one of the leading local chances of keeping the prestigious Cup trophy on Tassie soil.

Trained by Gary Fahey, Just Browsing (My Bro Fabio x Dennes Point) has been tagged the "classic queen" during the 2018/19 racing season, winning several prestigious age-classics at Launceston such as the Illingworth Classic, Tasmanian Oaks, Breeders Classic, J.G Nelson Cup and Ladies Bracelet.

Winner at nine from 11 starts over the 515 metres, Just Browsing sits on top of the local chances and with from box one (race seven), the brilliant bitch looks very hard to beat.