Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Doomben on Saturday, May 11th.
The Group 1 Doomben 10,000 headlines the meeting, with the track rated a Good 4 and the rail in the true position.
We've got tips and comments for every race on the card below!
DOOMBEN RACING TIPS
Best Bet: Race 8 - (1) Osbourne Bulls
Best Value Bet: Race 9 - (13) Tangled
RACE 1 - Fillies and Mares Class 6 Handicap 1200m
Competitive race to start off. (2) Femme Fireball returned with three straight wins last preparation and the first of those came over this track and distance. Another performance like that would see her competitive in this. (5) Prue's Angel is undefeated from three first up runs and has won over this track and distance previously. Though her record suggests she goes better on soft ground, that win over this track and distance was on good ground, so she's capable of firing today. (7) Mishani Electra had trialled well for disqualified trainer Ben Currie. Makes her stable debut for the new trainer but has obviously been prepared by Currie for this prep so no surprise to see her go close. (4) Awake The Stars doesn't have any real city form to go off apart from one run at this track, where she was beaten 0.2L. Has a good first up record and Shinn is a strong booking.
Value: (5) Prue's Angel $11
RACE 2 - Colts, Geldings and Entires Class 6 Handicap 1200m
(7) Ef Troop resumes today and is the favourite at $2.90. I'd be very reluctant to dive into him at those odds given he's yet to win since he was a two-year-old, dating back to December 2017. He's had five starts at 1200m and has only placed in one of them. He trialled well and should be competitive but I think he's found his price. I'd be backing him only as a saver bet here. (4) Naitch resumed with a win at Toowoomba in this class and can win again here. He's got a good second up record, has won at the track and has a good record at the distance. Drawn well, can sit prominently and be hard to run down. (8) Fomo looks a blowout chance at $31. He's another former Ben Currie horse on debut for a new trainer. He's won three of his four starts when first up and he's been very competitive in his two starts at the track. Not sure why he's $34.
RACE 3 - BM80 Handicap 1350m
Wide open race with a good chance of a boilover. There's any number of horses that could win without surprising. (16) Cruze probably deserves favouritism based on his past couple of runs and the fact he carries just 52.5kg. Drawn well in barrier 5 and should be going close, but he does carry a 3kg apprentice in a big field, which is always a concern. There's two at big odds I could have something small on. (12) Prince Of Tie has two wins and a 0.2L 2nd from three starts at this track and distance. He was well beaten at big odds last start at Eagle Farm but gets back to his pet course today. (17) Galtero resumes from a spell and despite the fact he's probably going to be looking for further, he has proven he can be more than competitive over this trip. He won his first four starts last prep, two of which were at this track. His first up distance was at this distance too. Blake Shinn rides (9) So Spirited and James McDonald rides (13) Splitter - both rate highly.
Also backing: (12) Prince Of Tie $26
RACE 4 - QLD Day Stakes 1350m
She's going to need a good ride, but this should set up rather nicely for (12) Multaja, who will be back in the field off what looks to be a hot pace. She's been in great form this prep and was unlucky at Hawkesbury last start, where barrier 1 was always going to cause her problems. If she's within striking distance on the turn, she should be very hard to hold out. Her two biggest dangers, in my opinion, are a (1) Mishani Hustler and (3) Racecourse Road. Mishani Hustler has won five from seven at the track and seven from 12 overall. He returns as a gelding today and makes his debut for the new stable after Ben Currie was disqualified. He's probably the value at $10 but he's likely going to have to sit outside Racecourse Road, who has won his past two in convincing fashion. He's failed in all three starts at Doomben but he's a different horse this prep and they're letting him roll along in front, which they weren't doing before this prep. (8) Chikorita is a blowout chance at $41.
Value: Mishani Hustler $10
RACE 5 - Rough Habit Plate 2000m
If (1) Dealmaker can't win this, he's got little hope of ever winning again. This is the easiest race he's competed in since his maiden win back in June last year. However, he's competed in some races that he had every right to win, but just hasn't been able to get his head in front. So taking $1.90 here is a bit sketchy. (4) Purple Sector comes through the same two recent races as Dealmaker. He should sit a pair further forward than Dealmaker in the run but I'm not convinced about him either. I'll play small on (3) A Man To Match and (2) Trusty Lad. A Man To Match won his only start at this track and distance by 3.75L. That was last preparation and he hasn't done a whole lot in two starts this prep but he steps up to 2000m at his third run back which should bring about improvement. Trusty Lad ran a good race first up over 1400m before being outlcassed last start at Eagle Farm. He tends to perform well third up.
Value: (2) Trusty Lad $15
RACE 6 - Champagne Classic 1200m
Tricky race with a few two-year-olds returning from short let-ups after tackling the majors in Sydney. The three that interest me most are (4) Czarson, (5) Jagged Edge and (7) Disruptor. Czarson returned with an impressive run in defeat on the Kensington track at Randwick. He carried 60.5kg and charged home when he eventually picked up the bridle. The step up to 1200m is one that should suit him much better than the 1000m. In his first two starts, he beat the Gold Coast Magic Millions winner and the Golden Slipper winner, so he's certainly capable of winning this. Jagged Edge is two from two. He won on debut at the Sunshine Coast and backed that up with a win at Eagle Farm last start. He was well-backed on that occasion and fought hard to win after sitting four-wide throughout the race. Draws much better today and should be competitive. Disruptor was run down by what looks to be a smart one in Reloaded first up. Dran wide but is the value in the race at $12.
RACE 7 - Members' Handicap 1600m
If (7) Archedemus leads here, which I suspect he will, he'll take some running down. He led all the way to record his sixth win from nine starts in the Hawkesbury Cup last start and despite carrying 2kg more today, he can win again. (10) Gem Song is the obvious one to beat. Barrier 1 might see him sit on the leaders' heels. He's won five from nine overall and recorded a comfortable victory last start at Eagle Farm. Blake Shinn rode him to victory on that occasion but jumps off to ride (4) Plein Ciel today, which could be the value at $9.00. He won over 2000m last start and drops back to the mile today. The blowout could be (5) Savvy Coup at $41. He's struck four heavy tracks this preparation, but his form on good ground is much better so he at last gets conditions to suit him. (9) Order Again not hopeless.
RACE 8 - Group 1 Doomben 10,000 1200m
(1) Osbourne Bulls might never get a better opportunity to win a Group 1, but that isn't the first time we've said that. He's run 2nd in all four starts this preparation, with all four being at Group 1 level. He gets the blinkers on for the first time today and draws well in barrier 4, so we might not see him so far away from the leaders. He should get a hot pace on up front an that should allow him to run over the top of them, and the fact he drops back from 1400m means he'll have the race fitness to finish off even if the pace is hot. (2) Nature Strip won his first Group 1 last time we saw him, which was over 1100m in The Galaxy. He goes up to WFA today and will jump straight to the front from the wide barrier. Doomben is a track that will suit his racing style down to the ground, but the 1200m is the huge query. (5) Easy Eddy is flying and can be competitive at this level again. (7) Tactical Advantage was good in defeat first up at Hawkesbury. He should take plenty of improvement from that so watch for him late. (8) The Bostonian probably isn't up to this level but he's undefeated from four starts when first up so at $51 can be included in numbers. (11) Champagne Cuddles is racing in terrific form without much luck, while (13) Outback Barbie can run a place.
RACE 9 - Chairman's Handicap 2000m
Absolute guessing game with a field of 16 to go around over the 2000m. One that could outrun his big quote is (13) Tangled. Now, he's a complete non-winner and isn't in good form at all, but his last three runs have all been on wet ground, which he just doesn't go on at all. He gets back onto firm ground today and steps up to 2000m. He's run 2nd in all four starts at 2000m. Gets Kerrin McEvoy on board and the big field means he'll likely get his chance from the awkward gate. $26 isn't the worst bet. (7) Our Libretto ran well in defeat in Sydney. She can be competitive from a good draw here. (9) Le Juge is flying with six wins from his past eight starts and there's no reason he can't be competitive again today. Chances don't end there.
