Doomben Cup preview
The Doomben Cup is race of interstate raiders this year with no Queensland-trained horses lining up in the Group One feature this Saturday at Doomben. Chris Waller ran the quinella last year with Beaten Up and Foreteller, after winning it with Metal Bender in 2010 and he takes two into the race this year.
Moriarty wears the number one saddle cloth and he comes into the race off a last start fifth behind Streama in the Hollindale Stakes. He has been out of the winner’s circle for quite some time but he’s been racing at the top level and has won two Group Two’s including the Brisbane Cup last year. Waller’s other runner, Junoob, is a winner of four from his last six – his most recent victory two starts back in the Neville Selwood Stakes. He didn’t handle the Gold Coast circuit at his last run and while he’ll enjoy Doomben, he will surely relish getting over the road to Eagle Farm. Akzar has also won four of his last six starts and comes into this off a six-length Warrnambool Cup victory on a heavy ten during their famous carnival.
Leebaz was installed as the early favourite for the race and while his stats read well, some were questioning whether they were the right credentials for this Weight-For-Age race. The Hawkes-trained gelding is six wins from nine career starts, and is three from four this time in including his most recent victory in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup. He has now drifted to second favourite behind Guy Walter’s mare.
Streama returned to form with a strong victory in the Hollindale Stakes and meets a few of her opponents here again. She is a top class mare with three Group One’s and five Group Two titles to her name, as she continues on what could be her final racing campaign.
Runner-up in the Hollindale was Mr O’Ceirin who relished the heavy track conditions, and is one who’ll be hoping for more of the same again on Saturday. Slow Pace was an eye-catcher at his first Australian run in the Newcastle Newmarket when third, and he ran third at his last start in the JRA Plate during the Sydney Carnival. His only run in between was when he finished down the field in the Group One Doncaster.
Peter Moody takes two into the race with Fat Al and Floria his runners. Fat Al showed some glimpses of his old form this prep when winning the Bendigo Mile second-up from a spell but he has been outclassed since while Floria has been somewhat hard to catch for punters. The ex-Kiwi mare is one win from her 11 Aussie starts, six of those have been minor placings.
The final runner in the Doomben Cup is Gerald Ryan’s Angel of Mercy who appears to be out graded in this Group One Weight For Age event.