Buoyed by Growl's return to winning form in the Hobart Cup, trainer David Hayes has the seven-year-old set for Wednesday's Group Three Launceston Cup followed by next month's Group Two Adelaide Cup.Hayes is confident Growl can become the first horse since Zacielo in 2004 to complete the Hobart Cup-Launceston Cup double.The Montjeu gelding broke a run of 22 outs when he raced to an easy 4-1/4 length win over Launceston Cup (2400m) rival, the Tony Vasil-trained De Fine Lago, in the Group Three Hob
Buoyed by Growl's return to winning form in the Hobart Cup, trainer David Hayes has the seven-year-old set for Wednesday's Group Three Launceston Cup followed by next month's Group Two Adelaide Cup.
Hayes is confident Growl can become the first horse since Zacielo in 2004 to complete the Hobart Cup-Launceston Cup double.
The Montjeu gelding broke a run of 22 outs when he raced to an easy 4-1/4 length win over Launceston Cup (2400m) rival, the Tony Vasil-trained De Fine Lago, in the Group Three Hobart Cup (2200m) on February 8.
"His run at Flemington was fantastic (when runner-up to Coppervue over 2000m) and he was dominant in the Hobart Cup," Hayes said.
"The old horse is flying and he'll go from the Launceston Cup to the Adelaide Cup."
Since the Hobart Cup victory, Hayes' assistant trainer Gary Fennessy has been looking after Growl at Michael Trinder's Spreyton property.
"I would be running him in the Australian Cup if I didn't have such a strong hand in it this year," Hayes said referring to stablemates Our Aqaleem, Changingoftheguard, Zagreb and possibly three-year-old Extra Zero.
Hayes likened Growl to now-retired stablemate Niconero who as a seven-year-old last season made it successive Futurity Stakes (1600m) victories at Caulfield before edging out Theseo in last year's Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington.
Growl, to again be ridden by Brad Rawiller, will carry topweight of 58kg, up 3kg on his Hobart Cup-winning weight.
Last year the Anthony Cummings-trained Zavite won both the Launceston Cup and Adelaide Cup (3200m) after finishing runner-up by a head to Gotta Keep Cool in the Hobart Cup.
Vasil is pleased with De Fine Lago who arrived on a flight in the early hours of Tuesday morning with the Rod Douglas-trained Larry's Never Late.
De Fine Lago was unlucky when runner-up in the Hobart Cup after being held up for a run coming to the home turn.
Vasil is confident the Delago Brom four-year-old can turn the tables on Growl and give him his third success in the race.
"He should have won the Hobart Cup," he said.
The Caulfield trainer won the Launceston Cup in 1993 with Diamond Bases and with Full Of Rhythm in 2001.
Damien Oliver replaces Dwayne Dunn on De Fine Lago while Danny Nikolic will replace the suspended Craig Newitt on the Troy Blacker-trained Dream Pedlar in the Cup.
At the Tasmanian Oaks meeting at Mowbray on Sunday, Newitt was outed for one meeting at a reconvened stewards' inquiry into an incident in the Hobart Cup.
Newitt finished fourth aboard Larry's Never Late in the Hobart Cup.
Dream Pedlar was ridden by Michael Rodd when third in the Hobart Cup.
Ben Melham replaces Newitt on Larry's Never Late.
Grand Destiny was not on the flight to Launceston late on Monday night indicating that trainer Mick Kent has elected not to run the Redoute's Choice six-year-old, leaving a field of only eight starters.
Growl is $2.60 favourite just shading De Fine Lago at $2.90, Grand Destiny at $3.80 with Dream Pedlar and Larry's Never Late both at $9.50.