Cups King aiming for slice of history

ESTABLISHING himself as the King of Trotters’ Cup in recent season’s, Tristan Larsen is aiming for a slice of history this weekend.

Since making his driving debut in 2023, Larsen has won an incredible six country cups, including the last two St Arnaud Trotters’ Cup – scoring with Baxter in 2023 and Kyvalley Heist last season.

Set to return to the provincial circuit on Sunday, Larsen is chasing an unprecedented hat-trick in the popular feature.

As it stands Larsen and John Caldow are the only drivers to complete consecutive wins in the time-honoured event, with the latter triumphant with Posimistic in 2012 and ’13.

A recent Hall Of Fame inductee, Caldow is the only person to win the Cup on three occasions, having also emerged victorious with in My Skypocket in 2017.

“I’ve had a good run with the Cups and it would be nice to get the hat-trick,” Larsen said. “Hopefully things will go our way.”

Larsen’s prospects rely on Johns Boy overcoming a 10-metre backmark against a strong field.

Larsen combined with the Brent Lilley-trained Johns Boy to secure the Birchip and Echuca Trotters’ Cups earlier this year.

“He is going well and should be hard to beat again,” Larsen said. “He won a heat of the South Australia Trotters’ Cup two starts ago, but didn’t handle the heavy, wet track in the Final.

“You can put a line through that run and rely on him being better on Sunday.”

Later on the card Larsen will attempt to break his Pacing Cup hoodoo when he partners Spirit Of Anarchy in the club’s flagship event.

Back from a New South Wales campaign, Spirit Of Anarchy has drawn to search for the lead from the pole.

“He has been racing consistently in Sydney from bad draws, so he gets his chance from a better draw this time,” Larsen said. “He should shape up well in this.

“It will be nice if he can get the win and I can drive my first Pacing Cup winner.”