Doomben Cup preview & betting strategy | May 20, 2023

Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup is one of the staying features of the Queensland Racing Carnival, where we will see 13-horse field do battle over the 2000m. Defending champion Huetor will return to defend his crown; however, he won the race at Eagle Farm last year due to the Doomben track being too wet to host the race. Meanwhile, Zaaki is seeking his second victory in the $1 million race. After finishing one-two in the AD Hollindale Stakes last start, will Huetor and Zaaki fight out this year’s edition of the Doomben Cup, or will another horse etch their name on the honour roll for 2023?

Doomben Cup 2023 betting odds

The Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki heads the market as the favourite at $2.15 with online bookmakers. There is only one other runner in single figures, with Kovalica pegged at $7.50. Outside of those two, Atishu and Huetor (both $10) with Duais and Numerian (both $13) round out the main chances.

Doomben Cup 2023 speed map

The speed map for the 2023 Doomben Cup appears to be straightforward. Both Zaaki and Numerian will jump from wide barriers and look to lead, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see an on-speed runner like Esti Feny or Palmetto push up on the inside if they jump well, forcing the favourite do more work to find the front. If the speed is on, it could set up nicely for the likes of Kovalica, Huetor, Atishu and Duais to finish off strong down the outside.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for Doomben Cup 2023.

Doomben Cup 2023 preview & form

The Hollindale Stakes is normally the A-grade form line to follow into the Doomben Cup, and that is the way we will be going for this year’s edition. Zaaki will be on top for us after he defeated many of these at the Sunshine Coast last time out. The eight-year-old gelding returned this campaign with a strong runner-up performance behind Giga Kick in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and then went on to win his third Hollindale Stakes last start, defeating Huetor and Zeyrek by just over half a length combined. The four-time Group 1 winner will be seeking his second Doomben Cup, after he destroyed a 10-horse field by seven lengths in 2021 to claim his first top-tier win. We aren’t getting massive odds, as he currently sits at $2.15; however, if he gets his own way out in front and nothing takes him on, he will be extremely hard to beat.

Reigning champion Huetor looks to be best chance outside of the favourite, after finishing third in the Group 3 JRA Plate and second in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes last start. Going into the 2022 Doomben Cup, the son of Archipenko ran fourth behind Zaaki in the Hollindale, beaten by just under four lengths, but this year he was only beaten by half a length. We do concede that the six-year-old gelding will need a little bit of speed injected into the race to give him his best chance, but if the likes of Esti Feny, Numerian and Palmetto do push forward and pester the favourite, it will only improve the chances of Huetor. At $10 for the win and $2.80 the place with online betting sites, we will be having something each way on the defending champ.

Filling the placings, we will have the lone three-year-old gelding, Kovalica, who has plenty of upside and looks to be a very smart staying prospect. After being withdrawn from the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate last Saturday, Chris Waller has chosen to take his son of Ocean Park to the Doomben Cup before backing up into the Queensland Derby on Saturday week. Kovalica will have to overcome barrier 13 of 13, but much like a few of the runners in this year’s Doomben Cup, he will need the speed to be injected for him to make ground from the back of the field.

Another of the Waller-trained runners who will be in the mix is Atishu, who finished 2.6 lengths off Zaaki in the Hollindale Stakes. This five-year-old mare does have a lot of ability, but she is yet to find the placings at Group 1 level against all ages and sexes. However, with a weaker field engaged in this year’s Doomben Cup, we won’t be leaving her out of the top four.

Doomben Cup 2023 selections & best bets

• 1

  ZAAKI

• 3

  HUETOR

• 13

  KOVALICA

• 12

  ATISHU

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