John O’Shea’s multiple Group 1 placed four-year-old Hauraki is early favourite in pre-field Doomben Cup 2016 betting for the latest Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival feature this Saturday.

Hauraki is early favourite to win the 2016 Doomben Cup on Saturday in Brisbane for John O’Shea and the Godolphin stable. Photo: Steve Hart.

There are 14 first acceptances still officially entered for the weight-for-age $650,000 Group 1 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) that headlines the Doomben Racecourse line-up on the weekend.

Among those are three four-year-olds looking to go back-to-back in the race for that age group after the success of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Pornichet (2015) last season.

The top-rated of those and the top fancy in all-in Doomben Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of the final field being released on Wednesday morning is the Godolphin-raced Reset gelding Hauraki.

It has been a long time between drinks for the smart galloper whose last victory was in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) back in March of 2015.

He has since enjoyed three Group 1 placings when runner-up in last year’s ATC Derby, third to Winx in the Chipping Norton in late February and second to The United States in the Ranvet Stakes on March 19.

After the Ranvet he was found out when crossing a mid-field seventh in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick from a wide barrier 12 of 14 draw behind Lucia Valentina.

Hauraki bounced back in his Queensland race debut on May 7 however when defeated just a length by the defending champion Leebaz in the Gold Coast’s Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m).

The Hollindale has produced five of the past seven Doomben Cup winners, form the bookies are tipping to stack up again this weekend with Hauraki at $3.80 to go one better than his Gold Coast run.

Following Hauraki in the Doomben Cup markets are five other single-figure fancies including the fellow O’Shea-trained It’s Somewhat ($5).

A five-year-old son of Dynaformer, It’s Somewhat also comes out of the Queen Elizabeth (6^th) and Hollindale (5^th).

At $6 each are the two other four-year-old fancies Raw Impulse for last Saturday’s SA Derby winning trainer Darren Weir and Kiwi raider Volkstok’n’barrell.

Imported Makfi stallion Raw Impulse has won his last two on the trot in Caulfield over 1800m and 2000m respectively by big margins in easier company and is looking to continue that form when up to Black-Type class for the first time on Saturday.

The Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs-trained Volkstokn’barrell meanwhile won last year’s Rosehill Guineas before an ATC Derby third.

Since the Derby he has had 10 runs, all but his third in the Hollindale Stakes being in Group 1 class including two elite level wins at home in New Zealand earlier this year.

Rounding out the single-figure Doomben Cup fancies for the weekend in futures betting are the Chris Waller-trained six-year-old French import Spiritjim ($7) who ran seven in the Hollindale on debut down under and Robert Smerdon’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes third placed mare Noble Protector ($9).

Check out the full early Doomben Cup 2016 odds below and back your selections at their generous current prices before markets firm with the release of the final field later in the week at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2016 Doomben Cup Odds