Forced to abort a Palmerston Sprint campaign in 2021, it’s all systems go for Gold Coast trainer Peter Robl as he eyes the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) on August 5 with Hadouken.
The five-year-old gelding qualified for the NT’s biggest race with victory as the $2.35 favourite with top bookmakers in the Buntine Handicap (2050m) at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Getting to an early lead before settling in second place, the son of Japanese sire Real Impact finished strongly to overcome Neil Dyer’s Ziggi Rocks ($14) and Andrew Perdon’s Starspangled Baby ($6).
It was an emphatic Cup trial as Hadouken, with leading Top End jockey Jarrod Todd aboard, clocked 2:03.02 — just outside the track record of 2:02.94 set by Write Your Name in last year’s race.
A first-up Darwin winner over 1600m in BM66 company on July 6, Hadouken is seemingly a serious Darwin Cup prospect.
“The Cup is going to be a lot harder field than the Buntine,” Robl said on Monday after returning to Queensland.
“His time suggests that he’s not far off the mark from those better horses.
“A horse like Hadouken needs to draw a barrier and have luck in the running.
“I think he’s got a bit more left in the tank — we’ll give it our best, that’s for sure.”
The plan to send Hadouken emanated four months ago due to persistent rain in south-east Queensland and the far northern regions of NSW.
A handy horse on firm surfaces, he battles on rain-effected tracks.
“I spoke to the owners and said the ideal race would be the Darwin Cup because he is solid over 10 furlongs, he loves a firm surface and he races on the speed,” Robl added.
“I ran him in that mile race when he got to Darwin to get a run under his belt and to give him a look at the track before the Buntine.
“He had to win on Saturday to get into the Cup, he improved nicely between that mile race and the Buntine.
“Fannie Bay is unique, it’s dirt and it’s downhill from the 600m mark, but Hadouken has taken a liking to the track.
“At this time of year, the Darwin heat is not much different to the Gold Coast climate.
“They say you’ve got to give them time to get over the long trip to Darwin, but he handled it well and settled in immediately.”
With Todd set to ride Gary Clarke’s Wolfburn in the Cup, Robl will be searching for a rider for Haudoken.
Gold Coast apprentice Jasper Franklin was the pilot in the horse’s first Darwin start.
Hadouken had four wins in 23 starts for former trainer Gabrielle Ellis, who was based at Warwick Farm, before debuting for Robl in January.
In 11 starts for the former jockey, the gelding’s only other win was on Gold Coast’s synthetic surface over 1900m at BM62 level in April.
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