The Group 1 racing action of the always popular Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival continues this weekend with the festival’s premier staying event – 2013 Doomben Cup betting tips and exotic selections for the showdown detailed below.

Foreteller is the Races.com.au team's tip to win the Doomben Cup 2013. Photo: Taron Clarke.

All the punters will be hanging around Doomben Racecourse for Race 7 at 3:40pm (AEST) on Saturday with a star-studded line-up of 14 gallopers engaged for the $500,000 Group 1 Kirks Doomben Cup (2000m).

Latest Doomben Cup betting markets have uncovered a sole favourite with the money coming in for last year’s runner-up Lights Of Heaven.

The Group 1 winning Peter Moody mare is in ace form with two good wins at her two most recent runs including the Group 2 AD Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.

Historically the best guide to the Doomben Cup, the Hollindale Stakes has produced eight winners in the Group 1 since 2002 and the punters are tipping Lights Of Heaven to be the next as she sits top of the markets at $3.70.

After originally sitting as the co-favourite with Lights Of Heaven, Chris Waller’s Hollindale runner-up Foreteller has eased out slightly and is now paying $4 to turn the tables on his last start conqueror and become a dual Group 1 champ following their Ranvet Stakes success during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Two other hopefuls are also under $10 in the markets with the David Vandyke-trained Lamasery ($8) and the only three-year-old in this year’s race Hippopus ($9), while $10 is a nice price for Moody’s triple Group 1 winner from last autumn Manighar and Waller’s improving import Beaten Up.

So are these single figure fancies the right ones to back in your Doomben Cup bets? Are the markets right, is Lights Of Heaven going to become the next horse to complete the Holllindale – Doomben Cup double?

Or can an outsider take them all by surprise with juicy odds open on the likes of the Grahame Begg-trained Secret Admirer ($15) in her likely last race, or even the in-form Pimms Time ($31) stepping up in class but after their fourth win from five starts?

To Win

#4 Foreteller ($4)

• This consistent import looks the one to beat and their easing price is very attractive!
• Group 1 winner over this distance (2000m) in the Ranvet Stakes during the autumn
• Hollindale run was their first in four weeks and they did well to hit the line like they did coming from 2400m back to the 1800m
• Get an extra 200m here and that, combined with their improved fitness, should be enough to see them rise to the top
• Hollindale is the premier form race for the Doomben Cup with past three winners having run top three in the Gold Coast race
• Get barrier four here after jumping from a wider gate last start
• Jim Cassidy is in the saddle again who has ridden them for their past three starts and is the Doomben Cup’s most successful jockey with three winners from 10 rides  

To Place

#9 Lights Of Heaven ($3.70)

• Bookies look confident and there’s lots to like but need to be convinced
• Set for a magic ride from barrier five where last year’s Doomben Cup winner Mawingo jumped from
• Won her last two over 2000m and 1800m
• Distance here is ideal (6-2-1-2)
• Hollindale to her name last start beating the next two best fancied in the Doomben Cup odds with Foreteller second and Lamasery fourth
• Out to become the ninth horse since 2002 to come via the Hollindale and win the Doomben Cup and the fifth to complete the double
• Her Group 1 Schweppes Oaks win may have been a couple of years back but she certainly hasn’t dropped back in class with form around the best including her Caulfield Cup third last spring
• Awesome record in the sunshine state, won the Eagle Farm Cup and Brisbane Cup here last winter

#5 Lamasery ($8)

• Out wide in barrier 14 but don’t ignore, they will be strong home and challenge for the win
• Ran fourth in the Hollindale in their first run in 35 days, fitter after that and going up to 2000m will also suit
• Beaten under a length by Lights Of Heaven at the Gold Coast, gets chance to turn the tables
• Last time over the distance they won the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Randwick in September, a race Lights Of Heaven finished third in

Roughies We Like

#14 Hippopus ($9)

• Gai Waterhouse-trained High Chaparral colt last seen winning the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on Anzac Day
• While they’re a bred stayer and the drop back 800m could hurt them here, they were second over the 2000m in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes on Golden Slipper Day and before that won back-to-back Canterbury races over 1900m
• Handles all conditions so if rain comes get on them
• Drawn in gate two which has produced four winners in the past three decades
• Third best Win Rate of the field (40%) and the highest place rate (70%) having won four and run top three in another three of their 10 starts to date

#13 Pimms Time ($31)

• Generous odds for this New Zealand stayer racing in Australia for the first time
• Won their last two in April back home over 1600m and then 2000m
• The last was at Group 2 level on a Slow (8) so will appreciate a bit of give out of the ground as they are unbeaten on slow tracks
• Drawn in the equal most successful Doomben Cup barrier in history (11)
• One of only three last start winners in the mix
• Second best Win Rate with 41.67%

Like the Races.com.au’s Doomben Cup betting tips and want to lock them in before jump time at the guaranteed best prices?

Visit our No. 1 recommended bookie bookmaker.com.au now for access to all the weekend’s hottest markets as well as their exclusive Pick Your Own Odds option on all the metro races!

*All odds quoted are Fixed Win from bookmaker.com.au and subject to change