Switches and Patterns

3 minute read

Doomben Cup winners have become a Victorian domain but most have come via the sun on the Gold Coast. See if we can pinpoint some patterns.

Doomben Cup winners have become a Victorian domain but most have come via the sun on the Gold Coast. See if we can pinpoint some patterns.

DOOMBEN CUP (G1) 2020m

• '08 – Sarrera – 1st Queen Elizabeth Stks @ Randwick

• '07 – Cinque Cento – 1st Queen of the South @ Morphettville
• '06 – Above Deck – 1st Hollindale Stks @ Gold Coast

• '05 – Perlin – 2nd Prime Minister's Cup @ Gold Coast
• '04 – Defier – 4th Hollindale Stks @ Gold Coast

• '03 – Bush Padre – 1st Hollindale Stks @ Gold Coast
• '02 – Mr Bureaucrat – 1st Hollindale Stks @ Gold Coast

• '01 – King Keitel – 3rd Open Hcp @ Eagle Farm
• '00 – Akhenaton – 1st Doomben Classic @ Doomben

• '99 – Intergaze – 6th Hollindale Stks @ Gold Coast

Main pattern is to have run on the Gold Coast. The two week break and the 200m increase in distance fits perfectly. Winning form is also good form as 6 of the 10 scored at their previous start.

Something which will make it a tough ask for the eight females in the Cup, Cinque Cento's Doomben Cup win in 2007 was the first by a mare since 1950.

Since it became WFA, only Akhenaton (1999) and Danewin (1995) have won the Doomben Cup as 3yos so (BR7-15) MARKUS MAXIMUS and (BR7-16) MISS DARCEY face a task.

Like the Oaks, kiwis fillies have a good record in the Doomben Roses with Gaze, The Jewel and Ethereal winning and Eskimo Queen placed. Well there are plenty in good form going to the Roses with the likes of (BR5-2) JUICE, (BR5-5) AWESOME PLANET, (BR5-12) LA ETOILE, (BR5-13) EKSTREME, (BR5-16) PRIX DU SANG and (BR5-19) WALK IN THE PARK. Check out their form - every one of these has form through a very good crop of NZ fillies around Daffodil who came and conquered.

To Sydney where racing at Canterbury can produce a few specialist performers. (SR1-1) SHELLSCRAPE has been an exceptionally consistent 2yo with 6 starts for a win and 5 placings. His only win was here at Canterbury.

In Melbourne, (MR3-8) RUN FOR NAARA ran 2nd to Tollesprit last week and now steps up to Listed company. Patinack Farm have been switching states very successfully all season. They were also considering sending (SR1-10) PUBLIC HOLIDAY south after a Wyong run but G1 winning trainer Jason Coyle has decided to keep her in Sydney which is a bit of a guide.

Goes to show you the longevity of some of these staying warriors. (MR6-7) DESERT MASTER was first past the post but lost the very same Andrew Ramsden Stks on protest back in 2006 to Derringer. In that race were recent Sydney Cup winner Ista Kareem, regular two miler Elwood and the hero from the 'Bool in the Grand Annual Steeple Sir Pentire – the latter is also running here.

The important gear change comes in the staying race with Kim Waugh's Sydney Cup runner (MR6-9) TANGALOOMA having winkers and a noseroll applied on him. At the same time (MR6-11) PHAZE ACTION gets a cross over noseband to control him better. He didn't really finish off last week.

Finally to Adelaide where Mick Price has switched (AR1-7) AMBITIOUS BRIDE over the border. She started favourite in a Bendigo Maiden and Mick must be happy to head there for more prizemoney than a regular maiden at home.

Similarly Price sends (AR5-3) AGARKAR over for a $40k race which is more than the two recent midweek races he's won. He may just have found the Saturday Victorian metro class that bit too hard.