John Blacker capped a successful Tasmanian summer carnival by taking the Group 3 $250,000 Launceston Cup with underrated mare Glass Warrior on Wednesday.
The daughter of Glass Harmonium got Blacker’s summer off to a fine start by taking the trainer’s hometown cup at Longford on New Year’s Day. That was followed by Swoop Dog’s wins in the Tasmanian and Launceston Guineas, while evergreen sprinter Blaze Forth took the scalp of Mystic Journey in the Ladbrokes Stakes at weight-for-age.
On Wednesday Glass Warrior was given a good run midfield, one off the rail, by Siggy Carr.
When the pressure went on prior to the home turn Blacker’s charge appeared to hit a flat spot, but once into the home straight the five-year-old mare knuckled down strongly to nail Sh’Bourne Spirit and White Hawk in a thrilling three-way photo finish.
It was Carr’s first win in the 2400-metre feature, while Blacker has now prepared four Launceston Cup winners to match his father, George.
In the next race, All-Star Mile contender Still A Star showed she is just that by  taking the Group 3 $150,000 Vamos Stakes over 1400 metres first up off a l2 month break.
A lung infection had prevented the Bill Ryan-prepared daughter of Toronado from starting since taking four stakes races in succession during last year’s summer carnival.
But she showed she was right on track for a tilt at the world’s richest mile on turf by wearing down last season’s Vamos winner, Deroche, after enjoying a box-seat trail behind that mare throughout under regular hoop Brendon McCoull.
Earlier, rising star Newhart notched his third successive feature win when taking the Listed $100,000 Mowbray Stakes over 1600 metres.
The Fighting Sun gelding had won the Devonport Cup and Thomas Lyons Stakes at his previous two outings but looked in trouble early in the straight when strung up behind the tiring leaders.
When a split emerged the Leanne Gaffney-prepared gelding accelerated quickly under Craig Newitt to score impressively. The lightly raced five-year-old has now had 15 starts for eight wins and five seconds.