It’s Group 1 Doomben Cup Day! The rail is out 2m after being in the true position last week and Race 1 is set to jump at 11:43am AEST. Shannon Buckley brings you his best selections for the program below, which are for an improving SOFT track with fine weather between now and race day – watch and monitor for any pattern if possible.
Doomben Racing Tips – Saturday, May 20th 2023
Race 1: The Star Hcp 1600m - 11.43am (AEST)
(1) ROUSSEAU – hasn’t won for a while but he’s come back super this prep! Very good return first-up over 1350m behind MISSISSIPPI PRINCE and ALBURQ (ties in with WAIRERE FALLS, DRIVE A DEEL) when forced back to last before closing off strongly to run fourth beaten 2L (first three home were the first three on straightening). Went straight to the mile LS and was luckless behind STUTTERING (SP’d $4 that day and was only beaten 2.3L without being tested). Third-up today and he gets JMac aboard. Will need some luck from the gate and no leader bias. Should be a genuine tempo up top which brings him right into the frame. Soft track OK, but the closer we get to a GOOD surface the better. Ready to win.
Big watch on MANBEHINDTHEMONEY – Irish import for Neasham who went super first time in Aus. Might be one run short / want further - watch for a market push.
ROUSSEAU – Win
$3.60 (3 Units)
Race 2: Stradbroke Calcutta 1350m - 12:18pm (AEST)
(1) BRIGANTINE – this is the easiest field he’s seen in quite some time! He’s a 92-rater in a Class 3 who gets in 4kgs above the limit. Sound return first-up at Listed Grade when he was forced to take his medicine from gate 17 and go back to last (was given an impossible task). Hit the line nicely beaten less than 2L. Still only a 4YO who looks to have some upside and has been well supported early markets. Draws a sticky gate for Orman but comes in a few slots after scratching’s. This race has a long tail and he looks very hard to beat.
(15) MADAME DU GAST – happy to save on this girl who looks to be over the odds. Comes out of the other key form race behind second fav LOVES ME LIKEAROCK who had an easy time in front and gave a nice kick to win (was entitled to). Conversely, MADAME DU GAST came from well back in the field without any tempo and was the only one to make any ground (the rest were all up on speed). This girl gets a 1.5kg swing on that runner, is fourth-up and ready to peak, draws a beautiful gate to sit mid-field / in behind the speed and likes the cut out of the ground. Nice value hope.
Also Backing
(15) Madame Du Gast ($16/$4.20) - 1 Unit E/W
(1) BRIGANTINE – Win
$2.50 (3 Units)
Race 7: XXXX Doomben Cup 2000m - 3.17pm (AEST)
(12) ATISHU – one of the best roughies of the day! ZAAKI clearly the horse to beat but we’re getting a better price for this girl to run the hole than we are for him to win, and I think she can go close to turning the tables on him. Sound return first-up over 1500m when forced back to last and picked them all up bar ROOTS who sat much closer in the run (she really zoomed late) before going to the mile second-up and was utterly dominant winning by 2.4L showing an excellent TOF. She ran 6th behind ZAAKI LS but was given an impossible task in running. She draws an awkward gate today, but I note Nash sticks with her over the boom colt KOVALICA. Getting to 2000m, being fourth-up, and getting nice cut out of the ground are all ticks. Hopefully by this stage of the day runners can hook wide and get their chance. Happy to play 1x3 (win x place) at the price.
(12) ATISHU – E/W
$11/$3 (1u/3u)
Race 9: Anz Bloodstock News The Roses - 4.44pm (AEST)
(6) PREMISE – she’s another decent roughie in a tough race to end the card. Quite a few of these come through the same races and she’s performed well in all of them. Broke her maiden four-back over the mile before going to a Class 1 over 1900m and was dominant. The stable sent her straight to the G3 Adrian Knox on a bog track at Randwick and she went super having to come from last and circle the field. She backed up in the G1 Oaks behind PENNYWECKA (ties in with SAKURA GIRL) and ran well again (held up at key stage / was OK through the line / end of 2400m might be her limit?) beating home FIREBURN (key rival here). She had a month long freshen and then trialled up super two weeks ago. I think she maps beautifully from the low draw to sit up on speed with some cover and be saved for one run. She’s genuine and over the odds (play 1x3).
(6) PREMISE – E/W
$11/$3.50 (1u/3u)
