Jockey Damien Oliver has given smart filly Arabian Gold a big tick, rating the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival-bound youngster a chance in the Doomben Cup 2014 after her Randwick win over the boys on the weekend.
Frank Packer Plate winner Arabian Gold is a Group 1 chance in Brisbane this winter. Photo: Steve Hart.
David Vandyke’s daughter of Dubawi made it back-to-back Group 3s this autumn in Sydney, backing up from her Adrian Knox Stakes win in the wet on Saturday in the Frank Packer Plate.
After getting shoved on the fence, Oliver and his solid grey made the most of their undesirable position and had the turn of foot in the end to pull away and beat home Pheidon by one and a quarter lengths over the 2000m.
Post-win Oliver was full of praise for Arabian Gold who believes wouldn’t be out of place in the weight-for-age $500,000 Group 1 Doomben Cup (2020m) line-up in Brisbane on May 17.
“She could be a Doomben Cup horse because a good three-year-old like her can be very competitive in it,” Oliver told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“She is very good 2000-metre horse and has a turn of foot.”
Vandyke, who bypassed an Australian Oaks run with her this campaign, also believes she has the makings of a Group 1 chance in the sunshine state this winter.
He however is looking more at running her against her own kind in the $400,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.
To lead into the Oaks Arabian Gold would most likely make her Brisbane debut in the $175,000 Group 2 The Roses (2040m) on Doomben Cup Day.
“There was always the prospect of going to Brisbane and the Oaks there,” he said.
“They are only three once and we can go to the Roses and then the Oaks, if she is up to it.”
If she proves herself in the first half of the year, Vandyke believes her capable of much bigger things in the spring too including a possible shot at the $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) in October.
“I can see her being up to a Cox Plate and Queen Elizabeth Stakes next season because the 2000 just seems to be her best trip,” he said.
Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest on the upcoming Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival features.
Then for the hottest markets for this autumn and upcoming winter season, make sure you’ve got an account open at Ladbrokes.com.au where punters have instant access to their winnings in cash thanks to the exclusive Ladbrokes Card offer!
