Nine-year-old gelding Pardoe Plugga ($26) overcame his 20m back mark to claim the Ladbrokes Sheffield Cup (2698m) in Launceston on Sunday.
The Leigh Rand-trained pacer broke soon after the start and was positioned one-out and three-back by driver Todd Rattray before racing three-wide with cover from the 700m.
Pardoe Plugga proved too quick late to defeat De Goey ($2.30 fav) by a head, with Beat Sweet ($3.20) a further 4.7m away third in a mile rate of 2:00.7s for the standing start event.
It was the pacer’s third Cup win. He won last year’s Meander Valley and Carrick Cups and finished fourth in this year’s Easter Cup.
“He has won a few races over the longer distance, so he certainly can handle it, and he pulled up really well,” said Rand soon after the race.
“He was first up. We have had a few issues with his feet. Andrew Wilson (farrier) has been really good, finding a few corns and a few other things that have really helped to get him happy and comfortable.
“He hasn’t been over-raced. He never raced until he was a four-year-old.”
Rand indicated that he will see how the pacer is in the next few days before a possible tilt at the upcoming Ulverstone Cup in Launceston on 5 June.
The Sheffield Cup featured the return of Jorge Street, who led, before fading in the straight to finish sixth.
Open class pacer Triedtotellya ($1.16 fav) took his record to five wins from five starts for the 2025 season when leading all the way to win in the Tasmanian Horse Transport Stakes (2200m).
The Rohan Hillier-trained and driven pacer ran a mile rate of 1:56.7s when scoring by 8.6m over Star Major ($6.50).
“He got an easy lead, bowled along and was good, but I think he will be better when sat up.
“I’m not sure if we will go (to Melton) this week or next. I will nominate him and see what happens,” Hillier said post-race.
