Tasmanian Hype is set to return to Rocky to defend his cup.

Tasmanian galloper Hype, the winner of last year’s Rockhampton Cup, will be back at Callaghan Park to defend his title, if all goes to plan, says trainer Aiden Nunn.

Hype was flattened by a virus last summer, thwarting a chance to chase the Hobart and Launceston Cups, but Nunn said that his import is well and truly on the way back to top health.

“He is back in Queensland and my plan is to bring him back to Rockhampton in July,” Nunn said.

Hype won an official trial over 1400m at Longford, just outside of Launceston in February, boosting Nunn’s confidence. “He has arrived back at my Beaudesert base and, I am getting him ready to trial again up here now,” he said. “He usually takes a couple of runs to get going, so we will probably follow a similar path towards the Rocky Cup as we did last year.”

Nunn praised the Callaghan Park track and said the 600m straight is ideal for his horse.

“It’s a tremendous track, running 1600m is like running an 1800m race with the long straight a test for most horses, this horse loves it.”

In 2024, Hype South Australian based Teagan Voorham brought Hype from last on the home turn to reach the lead just before the post. Hype went on to complete the 2024 Rockhampton Cup/ Mackay Cup double.

Nunn said he is keen on testing the former Irish stayer Hype over longer distances this campaign. “We had the Tassie Cups in mind before he took ill but the 2400 metre distance is where I’d like to get him to,” Nunn said.

Hype is bred to run all day, but he is yet to win beyond a mile. The gelding by Siyouni from the Galileo mare, Eavesdrop, started his career in Ireland in 2020, finishing unplaced in a race won by Lucky Vega at Naas. At his second campaign he scored two Irish victories at Dundalk over 1408m and at Leopardstown over 1609m.

Hype made his Australian debut at Flemington in May 2022 and 12 months later scored back-to-back wins at Eagle Farm and Doomben over 1400m and 1350m.

By David Aldred – CEO,  RJC