Sparingly raced five-year-old Rebel Factor confirmed his status as Tassie’s most promising galloper with a brilliant win in the $75,000 Ladbrokes Stakes over 1200 metres at weight-for-age at Launceston last Friday night.
The Team Wells-prepared son of The Factor began brilliantly from the outside alley, which enabled jockey Brendon McCoull to slot in just behind the leaders.
The gelding was then able to quickly reel in the pacemakers upon straightening, scoring a soft one-length victory over the progressive Laylow Pluck, who finished off hard to edge former boom youngster Turk Warrior out of second position.
Rebel Factor has now won seven of 10. He will try to complete his preparation with a hat-trick of weight-for-age wins, tackling the Thomas Lyons (1400m) on Hobart Cup day before having his first try over 1600 metres in the Hellova Street on Launceston Cup day.
That Ladbrokes Stakes success was the middle pin of a treble for McCoull, who had earlier combined with Adam Trinder to take the 1200-metre maiden plate with Muscle Up who came from just off the pace to score a dominant 2¼-length win.
It was a deserved first victory for the Zululand gelding, who’d finished runner-up at his first four appearances.
McCoull again combined with Team Wells to complete his treble on Gee Gee Can Win, who came from worse than midfield to take the final event on the card, a benchmark 68 over 1400 metres.
The Wordsmith gelding has been a model of consistency this time in with his nine runs netting three wins and five minor placings.
The other feature on the card, the listed $125,000 Launceston Guineas over 2100 metres, was taken out by Patrick Payne’s promising stayer Dunkel.
The short-priced favourite enjoyed a one-out, one-back trail under Harry Coffey but took almost the entire length of the straight to wear down Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s filly Soul Choice, who tried valiantly to lead all the way.
The two mainland raiders will stay in Tasmania to target the Tasmanian Derby and Tasmanian Oaks respectively.