Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) has drawn a quality field rich with interstate stars and there is plenty of value on offer from a betting perspective.
Ambitious is one of two Japanese imports confirmed in the Doomben Cup field and he remains sole occupant of the top line of betting, despite drifting slightly to $4.40 odds.
The Deep Impact entire has only had three starts since transferring to the care of Anthony Freedman, but has shown terrific ability and will be tough to beat on Saturday.
Ambitious clearly needed the run when he finished ninth in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) first-up on March 10th, but he responded with an impressive performance for second in the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) three weeks later.
He was no match for the likes of Winx in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) last time out, but he has been freshened-up since that run and should enjoy the conditions at Doomben on Saturday.
Oregon’s Day is perhaps unlucky not to have posted a maiden win at the highest level and she has continued to firm in Doomben Cup betting from an opening quote of $5.50, into $4.50 second-favouritism.
The Domesday mare resumed this time for second in the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) on March 3rd and was again unlucky not miss out when second in both the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m)
Working to the line well to finish fourth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m), Oregon’s Day arrived in Queensland for a strong win over many of her Doomben Cup rivals in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) a fortnight ago and she is probably the horse to beat again on Saturday.
Chris Waller will launch an impressive six-pronged attack in the 2018 Doomben Cup, but former Japanese galloper Satono Rasen looks like the leading trainer’s best chance.
Satono Rasen will only be having his third start for Waller on Saturday, but he’ll find his most-ideal conditions to date in the Doomben Cup and looks ready to peak in form.
Shaking off the cobwebs when he beat only one other horse home in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 21st, the son of Deep Impact hit the line well for fourth in the Hollindale Stakes and will appreciate the rise in trip.
One horse with genuine each-way appeal in the Doomben Cup field is the Darren Weir-trained Tradesman ($16).
The Trade Fair gelding does face a big step up in class, but he’s another horse that will appreciate the added distance and he’s drawn ideally to find a position on-pace.
Tradesman ran fourth in his first two starts this time in, before savaging the line for a dominant win over 1700m at Warrnambool last time out. Darren Weir’s sense of timing with races like this is always perfect and it would not surprise to see this horse find his way into the money at Doomben.