Doomben full betting preview & tips | Doomben Cup Day 2024

Race 1: Benchmark 85 Handicap (1350m)

Pacific Ruby will return from a lengthy layoff when she competes in the opening race at Doomben after the Ciaron Maher-trained mare was last seen finishing second last at Randwick on August 19. The daughter of Kermadec has been given three jumpouts before this fresh run and will seek to continue her strong first-up form (4:3-1-0). Jumping from barrer five with Craig Williams in the saddle, Pacific Ruby can settle close to the speed and show her customary dash late to run away from her rivals late.

• 14
  

  PACIFIC RUBY

• 15
  

  AVEBURY

• 8
  

  MIDNIGHT IN TOKYO

• 3
  

  WATEGOES

Race 2: Benchmark 85 Handicap (1110m)

Stuart Kendrick and Michael Rodd will combine with Kingston’s Here as he returns from a 32-week spell at a track where he has only missed the placings once from six starts (6:2-2-1). This six-year-old gelding has been given two trials in preparation for this fresh run, with his most recent victory over 1050m at Deagon being the better of the two. With a lot of speed expected in this race, Michael Rodd can settle this son of Rich Enuff midfield and find a back to follow before letting this guy unleash with a devastating turn of foot late.

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  KINGSTON’S HERE

• 12
  

  NASHIRA

• 1
  

  CONTEMPORARY

• 4
  

  OSAMU

Race 3: Darby McCarthy (1110m)

Celui will drop back from Group 3 grade last start to compete against his own age group in an Open Handicap. Although the Brent Stanley-trained colt started to struggle late, he was racing on a Heavy track for the first time and didn’t seem to like the conditions. With the Doomben track expected to be firmer and Opie Bosson retaining the ride on this son of Toronado, he should be able to find the front from barrier six. If Celui shows the same early speed and gives a strong kick on the home turn, he can record his fifth win here.

• 1
  

  CELUI

• 10
  

  FORTUNEER

• 6
  

  SKIRT THE LAW

• 3
  

  SHOW ME MERCY

Race 4: Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m)

It was hard not to be impressed with the win of Clean Energy on debut, when the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained filly careered away from her rivals late over 1000m at Warwick Farm on May 8. The daughter of Zoustar showed similar speed and class to her sister and three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight, as she put a space on her rivals in the final 200m. Adam Hyeronimus will take the reins again, and if Clean Energy jumps well and finds the front, it will take something special to beat here.

• 4
  

  CLEAN ENERGY

• 9
  

  LADY SHENANDOAH

• 2
  

  LINCOLNSHIRE

• 1
  

  POSTER GIRL

Race 5: National 2YO Classic (1050m)

Eneeza will return to the racetrack following a six-week freshen after her impressive win in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes on April 13 at Randwick. On that day, the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman-trained filly showed a blistering turn of foot and held off the Golden Slipper winner, Lady Of Camelot. Dropping back from 1200m to 1050m is a slight query off a small break, but if Eneeza can settle close to the speed from barrier four, she should have too much class for this field.

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  ENEEZA

• 1
  

  SPYWIRE

• 10
  

  ARABIAN SUMMER

• 5
  

  EMBASSY

Race 6: Listed Chief De Beers (1110m)

After dominating his rivals at the Sunshine Coast last start, Hardware Lane will seek back-to-back wins third-up. The John Smerdon-trained gelding settled midfield before letting down with a strong finish to record an impressive 1.8-length victory over 1000m. This son of Scissor Kick will appreciate a rise in trip to 1110m and if the surface gets heavier, that will also play into his favour. It is expected that Mark Du Plessis will adopt the same tactics as last start, and Hardware Lane will play a prominent role in the finish.

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  HARDWARE LANE

• 19
  

  HELLUVA BARTY

• 1
  

  SPACEWALK

• 14
  

  GOLDEN BOOM

Race 7: Group 3 Pam O’Neil Stakes (1600m)

Over a distance short of her best, Princess Rhaenys ran home nicely over 1400m first-up at the Sunshine Coast against a similar field that she will face on Saturday. Tony Gollan has booked the in-form Damian Lane for his first ride on the daughter of Iffraaj as she seeks to claim her first victory, second-up (5:0-1-2) and third at 1600m (8:2-1-2). From barrier five, Lane doesn’t have to take this mare to the back of the field and can settle closer to midfield, which should allow her to get into the race earlier and use her turn of foot to run over the top of the leaders late.

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  PRINCESS RHAENYS

• 5
  

  THALASSOPHILE

• 2
  

  ZOE’S PROMISE

• 1
  

  DENY KNOWLEDGE

Race 8: Group 2 The Roses (2000m)

Scarlet Oak will compete in The Roses following her dominant win at Newcastle over 1600m, where the Chris Waller-trained filly didn’t go around a single runner and ran way from her rivals to claim a 2.4-length victory. The only blemish on this girl’s record was on the very heavy Randwick track on April 20, when she was the best of the beaten brigade in the Group 3 James HB Carr Stakes. James McDonald will take the reins for his first ride on the daughter of Kermadec, and if she produces a similar turn of foot, Scarlet Oak will prove hard to beat.

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  SCARLET OAK

• 1
  

  MOLLY BLOOM

• 3
  

  AMAZONIAN LASS

• 18
  

  KIND OF WORDS

Race 9: Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m)

The feature event of the day will be the $1 million Doomben Cup, where 16 runners are expected to battle over 2000m. The top stables of Chris Waller, Annabel Neasham, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott train nine of the horses in the field and they will seek to continue the interstate dominance of the race.

Check out HorseBetting’s free preview of the 2024 Doomben Cup here.

Race 10: Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m)

Freedom Rally performed very well in conditions that didn’t suit the Tony Gollan-trained gelding when he finished third on a Heavy track at the Sunshine Coast on May 11. The son of Rubick missed the start slightly and was made to race in the inferior part of the track on the inside of runners, but he still recorded the fastest 400m section of the entire meeting that day. If he jumps with the rest of the field from the inside barrier this time, Freedom Rally can claim the final race of the day with a similar finishing burst.

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  FREEDOM RALLY

• 12
  

  YELLOW BRICK

• 15
  

  ZARASTRO

• 8
  

  HERE TO SHOCK