On Saturday the Brisbane racing action is headlined by the 2014 Doomben Cup– betting tips and exclusive exotic selections from the Races.com.au team listed below.
Race favourite Streama is the Races.com.au tip to win the 2014 Doomben Cup. Photo: Daniel Costello.
This year’s $500,000 Group 1 Titan Energy Services Doomben Cup (2000m) is due to jump as Doomben Race 7 at 3:40pm (AEST) with a final field of 10 engaged for the classic.
Heading the current Doomben Cup betting markets at $4.20 and staying steady is the Guy Walter-trained mare Streama after her fourth Group 1 trophy.
She’s up over 2000m here on the back of a Group 2 AD Hollindale Stakes (1800m) win in the wet at the Gold Coast two weeks ago which was her first run over further than a mile since winning the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in 2012.
Her lead-up form is terrific, Walter believes she is ready for the distance and also rates her on the firmer ground on Saturday despite her Hollindale triumph in the mud.
The next best in the Doomben Cup odds in from $4.50 to $4.40 is then Zabeel four-year-old Leebaz drawn in gate two with James McDonald booked to ride the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes co-trained up-and-comer.
Leebaz has an awesome strike rate to date but is up in distance from a mile to 2000m, and in class considerably on the back of their Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) win last time out.
Also in the mix at single figures are six length Warnambool Cup winner Akzar ($4.80) who the punters are coming for, the Chris Waller-trained import Junoob ($5) and Hollindale runner-up Mr O’Ceirin ($9) who is on the drift.
With so many live wire chances in the Group 1 below are our Doomben Cup tips to see who we rate to back at Ladbrokes.com.au this weekend.
1st
#8 Streama ($4.20)
We are sticking with the favourite Streama for the Doomben Cup win and think favourite backers will be consoled after Famous Seamus got up at huge odds in the BTC Cup here last weekend. She beat a number of these home last time out in the Hollindale which has produced eight Doomben Cup winners since 2002 including four to run the double most recently Metal Bender (2010). While mares don’t have a great record in this one is classy and really it looks a pretty weak edition in comparison to previous years. She’s got three Group 1s, enjoyed two Group 1 minor placings in Brisbane last winter, handles all types of ground, has won over 2400m, boasts a decent 27% win rate and so really is hard to go past.
2nd
#4 Akzar ($4.80)
Early money coming for Darren Weir’s seven-year-old Victorian visitor and their lead-up form suggests that’s not unwarranted. They’ve run top two in their past four runs including three wins and back-to-back Flemington victories over this distance. Last time out they won the Warnambool Cup by six lengths over 2350m so are flying. They come back to 2000m but shouldn’t be too dour. Go up in class too but still, six lengths in the mud over 2350m in a black type is very nice form and just over two weeks between runs looks ideal.
3rd
#6 Slow Pace ($15)
This import adds some good value to our Doomben Cup top three, the Kris Lees-trained galloper having just their fourth run down under. Failed in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile two back when 13th and beaten nearly 12 lengths but the mile wasn’t long enough, it was run on a bottomless track and that was an outstanding field. Last run was improved when third in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick and should enjoy going around the distance again here.
Think we’ve got the winning Doomben Cup selections? Then visit Ladbrokes.com.au and lock them in and enjoy Best Tote or SP + 20% on your winnings for your first bet on the race!
*All odds quoted are Fixed Win from Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change
