Doomben full racing preview & best bets | Saturday, May 13

Race 1: QTIS Class 6 Plate (1200m)

The opening race of the day will be a QTIS Class 6 Plate over 1200m, where the Tony Gollan-trained Self Indulgent will be seeking back-to-back wins after recording a one-length victory in a Benchmark 72 Handicap last start at this track and trip on April 22. This four-year-old daughter of Foxwedge is unbeaten when third-up (2:2-0-0) during her career and she will be trying to protect that unblemished record when she competes in another 1200m contest this Saturday. With the aid of Ceejay Graham’s 3kg claim, this mare will only have to carry 52.5kg, which should make the rise in class a lot easier to handle. The speed map appears to have a lot of speed drawn inside of Self Indulgent, so if Graham can find the back of one and get a nice cart across, she should find a prominent position in the first five or six.

• 11
  

  SELF INDLUGENT

• 7
  

  ARENTEE

• 5
  

  ARGYLE LANE

• 3
  

  SIR WARWICK

Race 2: 3YO Plate (1350m)

Robert Heathcote will have his three-year-old filly Ekaterina engaged in the 3YO Plate, where she will drop 4kg from her last start, where she finished third behind Spirit Queen by just under half a length on April 29. This daughter of Russian Revolution has finished in the placings at eight of her 13 starts throughout her career, and now that she hits this race fifth-up and is at peak fitness, this race looks very suitable for this talented filly. Barrier one is a slight concern, as she likes to get back in her races and run on, but with Tim Clark retaining the ride after taking the reins for the first time last start, he should be able to get her into a nice position to swoop down the outside in the final 400m.

• 11
  

  EKATERINA

• 2
  

  ATMOSPHERE

• 3
  

  COUNT DA BEANS

• 6
  

  CHAIRMAN

Race 3: Benchmark 80 Handicap (1350m)

The third race of the day is a tough race to dissect, as many of the runners bring very different form lines in the Benchmark 80 Handicap over 1350m. However, we will have the Robert Heathcote-trained National Choice on top, as his five-year-old gelding will be looking to maintain his great run of form this campaign. From this son of Snitzel’s last four runs, he has finished in the placings at every start including two wins at the Sunshine Coast and Eagle Farm over 1400m. At his last start, this gelding finished just over a length off Antino in a Benchmark 85 Handicap, which is strong form for this race on Saturday. From barrier five, Mark Du Plessis will look to hold a position in the midfield, one off the rail and look to make his run at the top of the home straight and run home strong.

• 14
  

  NATIONAL CHOICE

• 17
  

  ARGYLE PINK

• 2
  

  MERITABLE

• 7
  

  OCEAN TREATY

Race 4: Listed Members’ Handicap (1600m)

The first of the Listed races will be the Members’ Handicap over 1600m, and we will be siding with Sunshine Rising from the Mark Newnham yard, who is dropping back from the Group 3 JRA Plate over 2000m last start to 1600m at Doomben this Saturday. This son of Myboycharlie is yet to win in Australia since arriving here in October of last year, however, this will be the weakest race that he has competed in since being on Aussie soil. Due to the race being at Listed level, this nine-year-old gelding will have carry 61kg, but jumping from barrier three should see him get a nice, cosy run in behind the speed. Josh Parr will be legged aboard for the very first time, and Parr can give Sunshine Rising that economical run and poke his way through a gap late, he should be closing off strong in the final 200m.

• 1
  

  SUNSHINE RISING

• 4
  

  BRUTALITY

• 11
  

  ALCYONE

• 13
  

  SANTERO

Race 5: Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m)

The first of the Group races will be the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic for the two-year-olds, with the Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted-trained Appin Girl on top for us here. This two-year-old filly has been very impressive in her two starts to date, where has won by a combined margin of 3.8 lengths over 1000m both times at the Sunshine Coast and Eagle Farm. This daughter of Capitalist couldn’t have done much more than what she did last start, as she idled up to the leading trio and went straight past them in a few strides to pull away for an easy 1.5 length victory as a heavily supported favourite with online betting sites. Boris Thornton has ridden this filly as both of her career starts so far, and with him sticking again on Saturday, we anticipate that Thornton will find the box seat from barrier one. All she will need is luck at the top of the home straight, and if she gets that Appin Girl should prove too good once again.

• 10
  

  APPIN GIRL

• 2
  

  SOVERIEGN FUND

• 3
  

  CIFRADO

• 8
  

  DUCASSE

Race 6: Group 3 JRA Chairman’s Handicap (2000m)

Our value play of the day will be Secret Glamour from the in-form Ciaron Maher & David Eustace yard, who is coming off a nice two-length win over 2400m last start at the Randwick Kensington track on Anzac Day. This four-year-old mare has had nine starts this time in, stretching from October last year to this Saturday, and even though she has been up for a while, her last start win indicates to us that she is still going very well. A daughter of Sebring, Secret Glamour should enjoy the Soft track and she has the ability to race near the leaders or settle at the back, which makes her very attractable at the double figure odds and with only 54gk on her back. Craig Williams will be legged aboard for the first time on Saturday, and if he can have her settled just behind the speed, she can look to up the ante around the home turn and put the rest of the field under pressure from the 600m mark.

• 13
  

  SECRET GLAMOUR

• 3
  

  CEPHEUS

• 2
  

  YONKERS

• 8
  

  KALAPOUR

Race 7: Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m)

After saluting as one of our best bets in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas last start, we will have Kovalica from the Chris Waller stable on top in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate, as he continues his path to the Queensland Derby in two weeks’ time. This three-year-old gelded son of Ocean Park has won five of his seven starts to date, with his last start win in the Queensland Guineas being one of his better wins for his career, as he had to make up plenty of ground in the home straight after travelling wide throughout. Currently, Kovalica is the Queensland Derby favourite with the bookies and with a win in the Rough Habit Plate, we expect to see his odds shorten if he is to win on Saturday. James McDonald rode this guy first-up in Sydney when he finished third, and he will jump back aboard this weekend seeking his first win and book himself the Queensland Derby ride on this promising stayer.

• 1
  

  KOVALICA

• 2
  

  THE VOWELS

• 4
  

  WAITAK

• 16
  

  SO DAZZLING

Race 8: Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m)

The 89th running of the Doomben 10,000 will be run and won at Doomben this weekend, and the Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick has opened a raging odds-on favourite with online bookmakers, followed by Aft Cabin ($5.50) and Mazu ($9).

Check out our full preview and betting strategy for the Doomben 10,000 here.

Race 9: Listed Bright Shadow Quality (1110m)

The final race of the day will be the Listed Bright Shadow Quality for Fillies and Mares, and we will be backing the ever-consistent mare Extremist from the Robert Heathcote yard to bring up her sixth win at her 16th start. At her most recent start, this four-year-old daughter of Extreme Choice led the field for 1150m of the 1200m event, before the very smart Antino ran over the top of her late defeating her by half a length. On Saturday, she will drop back from a 1200m Class 6 Handicap to a 1110m Listed event, where she will drop 1.5kg and run over a much more suitable trip for her front-running racing style. Angela Jones has ridden this mare at six of her starts, where she has never missed the placings and record three wins from those rides. Jones will be legged back aboard for this race, and from barrier one we expect to see her push forward and give the rest of the field something to chase.

• 9
  

  EXTREMIST

• 5
  

  HELLFEST

• 14
  

  COMRADE ROSA

• 10
  

  SIEGE