Doomben race-by-race betting preview | Saturday, May 22
| What | Doomben Cup Day 2021 |
| Where | Doomben Racecourse – 75 Hampden St, Ascot QLD 4007 |
| When | Saturday, May 22, 2021 |
| First Race | 11:34am AEST |
| Feature Race | Doomben Cup (Race 7) |
| Watch Live | |
The second Group 1 meeting of the Brisbane Winter Carnival will be run and won on Saturday, headlined by a star-studded edition of the Doomben Cup. A nine-race card has been assembled for the meeting, and we expect to see an upgrade from the current Soft 5 rating prior to the first race at 11:34am. The rail is out 2m for the entire course, so we should see the track play evenly throughout the day. HorseBetting.com.au brings you the top selections for all nine races on the card, including in-depth previews for all the Group races.
Race 1 – Benchmark 80 (2000m)
The opener is a nice little benchmark race that includes a number of runners who come through a Gold Coast BM78 three weeks ago. We are keen to follow that form here with Kelly Schweida’s Cellarmaid. The four-year-old mare was a dominant winner at this track and distance back in June last year and has only had three runs since then, which looks a perfect lead-in for this 2000m event. The daughter of Husson was fast-finishing second to I Could Do Better at the Gold Coast over 1800m last start and meets him 2kg better off here on a suitable dry track. Drawn wide in barrier nine, Cellarmaid will get back under Jimmy Orman before finishing strongly over the top of a strong tempo.
Selections: 4-10-12-8
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_01]
Race 2 – Class 6 Plate (1600m)
It is a wide-open affair in the second race of the day with Right Or Wrong the $5 favourite after a solid third just seven days ago at this track and trip. The second favourite, Goldifox, ran a decent second to the talented Explosive Quality first-up on April 24th before running seventh at Listed level in the Silk Stocking on May 8th. While she did get beaten nearly six lengths, she did settle back near last and worked home well into seventh. The five-year-old mare now goes from Listed grade to a Class 6 and drops 1.5kg in weight. Jumping from barrier nine in the field of 13, Craig Williams will have her in the second half of the field, and with even luck she should be able to get home better than most of these.
Selections: 12-13-4-2
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_02]
Race 3 – Listed Carter Stakes (1200m)
A field of 11 two-year-old fillies will contest the Listed Carter Stakes, and it is shaping to be a cracking contest. We were very keen on Fetch, but she was withdrawn due to an injury that sees her out of the remainder of the Winter Carnival. With Fetch out, the Maher & Eustace-trained Socialist looks very hard to beat. After going desperately close to winning two starts back, she came out to win comfortably at Canterbury, beating Morioka by 1.3 lengths. The filly that beat her the start prior was Xtremetime, who won the Listed Woodlands Stakes on Saturday when defeating Ashema. Socialist has drawn ideally in barrier six, which should see her and Kerrin McEvoy settle outside the leader before blazing home with an explosive turn of foot.
Selections: 5-1-7-8
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_03]
Race 4 – Darby McCarthy 3YO Plate (1110m)
The three-year-olds will do battle in the Darby McCarthy Plate over the 1110m sprint trip, and it should be an ultra-competitive race. We are siding with Maryann Brosnan’s Garopollo, who is a nice each-way price. The son of Per Incanto won his first two starts in style and then finished fifth in the Mick Dittman Plate at Listed level, only 2.8 lengths off Lord Olympus and Zingalong. Brosnan opted to scratch him from the Gold Coast Guineas when the track was downgraded to a Heavy 9, so the dry surface at Doomben should be to his liking. Drawn in barrier two under Robbie Fradd, Garopollo should be able to settle in the first half with a nice cart into it and be battling out the finish.
Selections: 11-1-5-7
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_04]
Race 5 – Group 3 Pam O’Neill Stakes (1600m)
The first of the Group races on Saturday, the Pam O’Neill Stakes is for the fillies and mares over 1600m. Danny O’Brien has sent north his classy four-year-old Paradee in a bid to win another Queensland feature race. After winning three straight races over the summer, the daughter of Epaulette then ran fourth at Group 1 level and is now first-up at the mile, which should suit. Drawn wide in barrier 10 and under the big weight, she will need to be on her game, but with Craig Williams in the saddle we are confident she can get into a nice spot on the speed. Nudge and La Gai Soleil are two consistent mares who should appreciate a genuinely run mile.
Selections: 1-4-10-3
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_05]
Race 6 – Listed Chief De Beers (1110m)
One of the feature sprint races on the Brisbane racing calendar is the Listed Chief De Beers. Over the past 15 years, only one runner has carried more than 55.5kg to win it; that was Rocket To Glory, a winner of 14 races and $850,000 in prizemoney, so it takes a class horse to get it done. James Cummings won this race two years ago with Isaurian, and he now saddles up Varda in the 2021 edition. The son of Lonhro was a big drifter in the market when first-up behind Embracer at Hawkesbury in a Listed race, but he still managed to run well. He is a tentative top selection in a race that could go any which way. Just Orm can improve up to the 1110m journey after running a solid fourth over 900m first-up.
Selections: 11-3-6-4
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_06]
Race 7 – Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m)
The sole Group 1 of the afternoon is the 2000m Doomben Cup, which has attracted an all-star line-up. Zaaki was oh-so impressive when winning the Hollindale Stakes a fortnight ago at the Gold Coast and now faces similar opposition again with the inclusion of All-Star Mile winner Mugatoo and Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet. Drawn in barrier nine, we expect to see James McDonald land in the one-one aboard the UK import, and without too much pace in the field he should have plenty left in the tank at the business end. Mugatoo is the clear danger after coming through the All-Star Mile, Doncaster Mile and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, while Sir Dragonet could blow them all out of the water if he brings his best. It is one of the better Doomben Cups we have seen in a fair while.
Selections: 5-2-1-7
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_07]
Race 8 – Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m)
The famous BRC Sprint not only offers a $175,000 prize purse, but the winner also gains ballot exemption into next month’s Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm, so this race has extra appeal. Nick Ryan brings north his gelding Sircconi, who can be hit and miss, but if he is right, he certainly could blow them away. The son of Nicconi comes through a high-rating form race at Sandown three weeks ago and drops 4kg from that as he rises in class. Drawn in barrier two under Nash Rawiller, he will be up on the speed but may just find some cover from those drawn wider out. If he can bring his best, he will be very hard to beat. Garibaldi cannot be discounted after a great first-up run, while Skins just needs to overcome the outside barrier to be competitive.
Selections: 5-14-17-4
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_08]
Race 9 – Group 2 The Roses (2000m)
The final race of the afternoon gives the three-year-old staying fillies a chance at black-type racing before the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in two weeks’ time. Bargain has already had a taste of an Oaks race when finishing third in the Australian Oaks at Randwick last start behind Hungry Heart and Duais, so that is the form we want to follow here. Drawn in barrier three under Josh Parr, the Ocean Park filly is likely to get back in the run, but that may not be a bad thing given there is a bit of speed on paper. She had a nice trial to tick her over in preparation for this and should carry residual fitness from her ATC Oaks campaign. Good Soize will be flying the Queensland flag, and we are confident she can run well at the double-figure quote.
Selections: 2-6-3-5
[rmOC_events_list event_ids=1369888_09]
Best quaddie bets for Doomben
| Doomben quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 3-6-11 |
| Leg 2: | 1-2-5 |
| Leg 3: | 4-5-8-14-17 |
| Leg 4: | 2-3-6 |
| Investment | $90 for 100% |