2023 Doncaster Mile Nominations: Aft Cabin, Zaaki Headline Early Entries

It is a case of youth vs experience ahead of the Doncaster Mile 2023 with gun three-year-old Aft Cabin and veteran champion Zaaki headlining the 164 early entries for the $4 million feature.

Aft Cabin is one of the standout early 2023 Doncaster Mile nominations taken for the $4 million classic this autumn. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Nominations for a host of the upcoming autumn majors closed this week including those for the Group 1 $4 million The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m).

Updated all-in Doncaster Mile odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au have the Godolphin-raced Aft Cabin on top at $6 followed closely by Annabel Neasham’s marvel Zaaki at $8.

The untapped James Cummings-trained Astern colt Aft Cabin made a brilliant return to racing on February 4 with an easy first-up win in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) ahead of what is being tipped as a huge campaign for the promising three-year-old.

Brutal (2019), Kermadec (2015) and Sacred Falls (2013) are the most recent three-year-old Doncaster Mile winners.

Aft Cabin holds an early entry for a host of Group 1 autumn events dominating betting on races including the Randwick Guineas and Rosehill Guineas.

Aft Cabin is one of five for Godolphin trainer Cummings in the entries along with fellow smart three-year-old Pericles, Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile, Character and 2021 Doncaster Mile winner Cascadian.

At the other end of the age scale is evergreen eight-year-old Zaaki.

The star import has amassed over $9.7 million in prize money ahead of his autumn return and was last seen successfully defending his title in Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) over the Cup Carnival.

Neasham’s other standout Doncaster Mile entries in 2023 are Champions Stakes runner-up Mo’unga and the ultra-consistent Laws Of Indices whose last start produced a third at Sha Tin in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December.

The Ben & JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside is nominated for a title defence in the Doncaster looking to be the first back-to-back winner of the handicap classic since Sacred Falls (2013, 2014).

Among the other standout Hayes’ entries are So Si Bon, Gentleman Roy and Crosshaven.

Six-time winning trainer Chris Waller also returns looking for a seventh Doncaster Mile trophy and his first since the 2016 success of the mighty mare Winx.

Waller holds 20 entries led by his imported Cox Plate third place-getter El Bodegon, Group 1 winning mare Fangirl and his Flight Stakes winning filly Zougotcha.

Also being kept safe in all-in Doncaster Mile betting this season at $11 is Peter Moody’s $10 million The Golden Eagle winning four-year-old I Wish I Win.

Gai Waterhouse holds the equal Doncaster Mile record with her father Tommy Smith of seven wins and is in with a strong chance of further extending her success in with 10 entries she co-trains with Adrian Bott.

The early favourites from the Waterhouse/Bott stable include July Cup winning European mare Alcohol Free yet to race down under and brilliant Queensland expat Alligator Blood last seen winning the Champions Mile at the end of an outstanding spring prep from the six-year-old.

The 2023 Doncaster Mile first acceptances close on Tuesday March 7, 2023.

Click here for the latest all-in Doncaster Mile betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Doncaster Mile Nominations

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	37x41x973x	ACQUITTED (IRE)	G	6	Kris Lees	89
2	0000x6142x	AEGON (NZ)	G	5	Andrew Forsman
3	2121×1	AFT CABIN	C	3	James Cummings	97
4	168x34913x	ALCOHOL FREE (IRE)	M	5	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
5	9x1616x69x	ALENQUER (FR)	H	5	Michael Moroney
6	21x721551x	ALLIGATOR BLOOD	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
7	217123820x	ARAPAHO (FR)	G	6	Bjorn Baker	103
8	471x5110x7	ARAVENE	M	4	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	72
9	1227x2910x	ARGENTIA	M	4	Anthony & Sam Freedman
10	33x11x	ATTRITION	C	3	Mitchell Freedman
11	3x187x248x	AYRTON (NZ)	G	5	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	102
12	5100x3200x	BANDERSNATCH	G	6	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	102
13	46x770261x	BANKERS CHOICE (NZ)	G	5	Michael Moroney
14	422118x	BELLATRIX BLACK (NZ)	M	4	Kris Lees	84
15	417x72476x	BELLE PLAISIR (NZ)	M	6	Tony & Calvin McEvoy
16	542x64260x	BENAUD	G	4	John O’Shea	102
17	311x332x3x	BOIS D’ARGENT (GB)	G	6	Annabel Neasham	96
18	x1660x241x	BOLD MAC (NZ)	G	5	Chris Waller	83
19	5111614x	BOOGIE DANCER	F	3	Peter G Moody
20	31450x100x	BRING THE RANSOM	M	6	Bjorn Baker
21	4713x607x4	BROSNAN	C	3	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	80
22	280x61052x	CALLSIGN MAV (NZ)	G	6	Danny O’Brien
23	91x341154x	CASCADIAN (GB)	G	8	James Cummings
24	421x40030x	CEPHEUS (GB)	G	6	Matthew Dunn	91
25	11x111310x	CHAIN OF LIGHTNING	M	4	Peter G Moody	104
26	010x73488x	CHARACTER	G	4	James Cummings
27	12126x1x	COGNITO	G	3	Mark Walker
28	2114122×3	COMMUNIST	G	3	Michael Freedman	82
29	3120x6900x	CONVERGE	G	4	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	104
30	3x1211338x	CROSS TALK (NZ)	G	5	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	95
31	248x56153x	CROSSHAVEN	G	5	Ben & JD Hayes	101
32	73x	CUT ON A DIME	C	3	Bryce Heys	58
33	6546x1699x	DALASAN	H	6	Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas
34	06x300x32x	DAWN PASSAGE	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
35	71x881401x	DIAMIL (IRE)	G	5	John O’Shea	102
36	34x244x14x	DRAGON LEAP	G	6	Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
37		DUKE DE SESSA (IRE)	H	4	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
38	1416x1x50x	EARLSWOOD (GB)	H	5	Maddie Raymond	105
39	11x7233x3x	EL BODEGON (IRE)	H	4	Chris Waller	114
40	339x82524x	ELECTRIC GIRL	M	6	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	105
41	1102x	ELKINGTON ROAD	G	3	Michael Moroney
42	1x43227x	ELLIPTICAL	C	3	Anthony & Sam Freedman
43	333x5163x7	EXCELIDA	M	6	Ben & JD Hayes
44	x135x5302x	FANCY MAN (IRE)	H	5	Annabel Neasham
45	5410x2562x	FANGIRL	M	4	Chris Waller	109
46	11112x554x	FIREBURN	F	3	Gary Portelli	106
47	11448x	FLAG OF HONOUR	G	3	Kris Lees	70
48	21x1455x0x	FRANKIE PINOT	G	6	Tony & Calvin McEvoy
49	21x2146x1x	GENTLEMAN ROY	G	6	Ben & JD Hayes
50	11x21x	GOING GLOBAL (IRE)	M	5	Chris Waller
51	416x	GOLDEN AGE	G	3	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	64
52	1x21411x2x	GOLDEN MILE	C	3	James Cummings	102
53	6x713x515x	GREEN FLY (GB)	H	4	Anthony & Sam Freedman
54	324x53358x	HINGED	M	4	Chris Waller	107
55		HO O AMAZON (JPN)	H	5	Yoshito Yahagi
56	32	HOLLYWOOD HERO (NZ)	C	3	Bjorn Baker
57	127×1	HOLYMANZ (NZ)	G	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
58		HOMETRUTHS (IRE)	M	4	Chris Waller
59	2x3223180x	HOO YA MAL (GB)	H	4	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	101
60	70x811142x	HOPE IN YOUR HEART	M	4	Kerry Parker	105
61	x9x13x110x	HOSIER (IRE)	G	6	Kris Lees	96
62	11x3418x8x	HUETOR (FR)	G	6	Peter & Paul Snowden	108
63	8x21x1x00x	HYPE (IRE)	G	5	Kris Lees
64	x123x1151x	I WISH I WIN (NZ)	G	4	Peter G Moody	110
65	33x722491x	ICEBATH (NZ)	M	6	Brad Widdup	110
66	26x214225x	I’M THUNDERSTRUCK (NZ)	G	5	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
67	x6160x270x	INSPIRATIONAL GIRL (NZ)	M	7	John Leek (Jnr)	109
68	36x1159x1x	JACQUINOT	C	3	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
69	10x	JAPANESE EMPEROR (NZ)	G	3	Michael Moroney
70	129x08411x	JOJO WAS A MAN	G	5	John Thompson	98
71	x142x18x0x	KALAPOUR (IRE)	G	6	Kris Lees	83
72	41327x113x	KALINO	G	4	Chris Waller	87
73		KING HERMES (JPN)	H	4	Yoshito Yahagi
74	810x37122x	KING RATEL	G	6	Bryce Heys	75
75	643x44131x	KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ)	G	6	John O’Shea	108
76	72221x500x	KISS SUM	G	4	Tracey Bartley	89
77	00x011960x	KISS THE BRIDE (NZ)	G	7	Bjorn Baker	92
78	31112x314x	LA CRIQUE (NZ)	M	4	Simon & Katrina Alexander
79	11x712330x	LADY OF HONOUR	M	4	Ben & JD Hayes	97
80	00x005739x	LAURE ME IN	G	8	David Pfieffer	93
81	409x42833x	LAWS OF INDICES (IRE)	H	5	Annabel Neasham	110
82	1156753x8x	LE VILLI (NZ)	M	4	Kris Lees	85
83	12114x431x	LEVANTE (NZ)	M	6	Ken & Bev Kelso
84	716x2292x5	LINDERMANN	C	3	Chris Waller	74
85	8036x0025x	LION’S ROAR (NZ)	G	5	John O’Shea	104
86	463x10494x	LOCH EAGLE	G	4	Kris Lees
87	8184x10x73	LOVE TAP	G	5	Richard & Will Freedman	95
88	302x26922x	LUNCIES (GB)	G	6	Kris Lees
89	6x12x5261x	MADAME POMMERY	F	3	Chris Waller	104
90	17x2115x0x	MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE)	M	4	Chris Waller
91	219281x	MANZOICE	C	3	Chris Waller	104
92	534x1224x	MATCHA LATTE	C	3	Mark Newnham	88
93	311x00707x	MILTON PARK	G	5	John Moloney
94	26x032852x	MO’UNGA (NZ)	H	5	Annabel Neasham	112
95	41x115473x	MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ)	G	5	Ben & JD Hayes
96	3x5411149x	MR MAESTRO (NZ)	C	3	Andrew Forsman
97	78111x220x	MR MOZART	H	4	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	103
98	27x211210x	MUSTANG VALLEY (NZ)	M	4	Andrew Forsman
99	161x13x16x	MY OBERON (IRE)	G	6	Annabel Neasham
100	4100x	MY TRUTH (NZ)	G	3	Anthony Cummings	64
101	0x1804x79x	NEW MANDATE (IRE)	G	5	Chris Waller	100
102	0x01102x0x	NIGHT OF ROMANCE (GB)	M	5	Kris Lees	96
103	15x31435x	NORTH STAR LASS	F	3	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	98
104	2x14x2111x	NUGGET (GB)	G	6	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	104
105	123x12713x	OLD FLAME (GB)	H	5	Peter & Paul Snowden	102
106	12x73x5	OSIPENKO (NZ)	C	3	Chris Waller	91
107	2147x4500x	OUR PLAYBOY	G	5	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
108	475x51260x	PACIFIC WARRIOR	G	4	Anthony Cummings	57
109	55115322x	PAVITRA	F	3	Richard & Will Freedman	92
110	1238x	PERICLES	G	3	James Cummings
111	1211x3x	PIER (NZ)	G	3	Darryn & Briar Weatherley
112	1150x2360x	PINSTRIPED	G	4	Enver Jusufovic	94
113	250x71537x	PRIDE OF JENNI	M	5	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
114	x04x34790x	PROFONDO	H	4	Richard Litt	105
115	2415x7109x	PROMISE OF SUCCESS (GB)	M	7	John O’Shea	108
116	1x1x	PROTAGONIST (FR)	G	6	William Haggas
117	1x	PURPLEPAY (FR)	M	4	William Haggas
118	40914x058x	RANCH HAND	G	4	Chris Waller	91
119	43x8348x6x	RIDDLE ME THAT	G	6	Matt Laurie
120	0790x0816x	RIODINI (NZ)	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	102
121	1x14x4541x	RIOT AND ROSE (NZ)	G	5	Peter G Moody
122	1x3210x90x	RISE OF THE MASSES	C	3	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	79
123	411x88610x	RUSTIC STEEL	G	5	Kris Lees	105
124	11x3x	RUTHLESS DAME (NZ)	F	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
125	134x18414x	SAINT BATHANS	G	4	Andrew Forsman
126	1x0311x81x	SHEEZA BELTER	F	3	Peter & Paul Snowden	103
127	117x13138x	SHE’S LICKETYSPLIT (NZ)	F	3	Andrew Forsman
128	x219x2232x	SIBAAQ (GB)	G	5	Annabel Neasham	101
129	08x013534x	SIRILEO MISS	M	5	Symon Wilde
130	042357341x	SO SI BON	G	9	Ben & JD Hayes
131	2x	STATEMENT (IRE)	M	5	Joseph O’Brien
132	396x05232x	STEINEM (GB)	M	5	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
133	115x23x09x	SUBCONSCIOUS (USA)	G	5	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
134	20x155021x	SUREFIRE (GB)	G	5	Chris Waller	103
135	139x	TAJNEED	F	3	Peter & Paul Snowden	78
136	240x6x2x6x	TAZARAL (IRE)	G	5	Peter & Paul Snowden	73
137	3x6463681x	THE ASTROLOGIST	G	6	Leon & Troy Corstens
138	313527126x	THE BIG SHORT (FR)	H	4	Chris Waller
139	152732x	THE FORTUNE TELLER	C	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
140	113x11x	THINK ABOUT IT	G	4	Joseph Pride	76
141	74x319x64x	THIRD REALM (GB)	H	5	Anthony & Sam Freedman
142		TIMES SQUARE (FR)	M	4	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
143	6x6220151x	UNCLE BRYN (GB)	G	5	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
144	11212x143x	VISINARI (FR)	G	6	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	96
145	2x	VON HAUKE (NZ)	C	3	Cliff Brown
146	7316x7112x	VRENELI	G	5	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	91
147	35132×3124	WAITAK (NZ)	G	3	Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
148	3x1x1191x	WATERFORD (IRE)	H	4	Chris Waller	85
149	21x2160x0x	WELWAL (GB)	H	4	Chris Waller	95
150	112x55x75x	WESTERN EMPIRE (NZ)	G	5	John Leek (Jnr)
151	6111112x	WILD NIGHT (NZ)	G	3	Mark Walker
152	13x85135x7	WILLIAMSBURG	C	3	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	85
153	112x1041x	WILLINGA RUFIO	G	4	Mark Newnham	78
154		WIN CARNELIAN (JPN)	H	6	Yuichi Shikato
155	112x2x638x	WOLVERINE (NZ)	F	3	Kris Lees	91
156	30x25x112x	WORSFOLD	G	6	Nick Ryan
157	291x24142x	YAPHET	G	4	Cliff Brown
158	13	YASUKE	C	3	Chris Waller
159	4x356x370x	YEARNING	M	4	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
160	213x13341x	ZAAKI (GB)	G	8	Annabel Neasham
161	92x3114x	ZENNZELLA	F	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	84
162	x4147x000x	ZEYREK (FR)	G	6	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	93
163	22x183x2	ZOU TIGER	C	3	John O’Shea	89
164	125x111x	ZOUGOTCHA	F	3	Chris Waller	106