The Brisbane Winter Carnival is in full flight and the first Group 1 of the season will be run and won at Doomben on Saturday!
The Doomben 10,000 is one of the state’s time-honoured contests, and this year’s edition could be its strongest ever.
You can find my selection for that race and remaining 2023 Doomben 10,000 Day Tips below!
Astero has been in excellent form this time and strikes another winnable race in Brisbane this weekend.
The Zoustar gelding hasn’t missed placing at his last five trips to the races, winning twice, including a decent BM88 race at Rosehill Gardens last time out.
A repeat of that effort and he wins again.
Atmosphere steps out this week in peak order, and he’ll appreciate a drop in class at Doomben.
The Lonhro gelding is yet to strike in three starts back from a spell, but he has improved noticeably with each, finishing second in a couple of black type races most recently.
James McDonald jumps into the saddle, and this looks a perfect Saturday metro target for the horse.
Meritable hasn’t been seen at the races since May last year, but this looks a lovely kick-off point for him.
The Snitzel entire has returned some nice effort during his brief racing carer and placed in Group 1 company in New Zealand prior to transferring to Australia.
His fresh record is decent, and he’s had the benefit of a couple of trials leading up to his return.
This looks to be one of the more open races on the program and there’s a case to be made for a few of them, including Brutality.
Brutality is yet to strike in three starts back from a break and it has been a while between drinks full stop, but there’s no doubt that he has stripped fitter for each of them, and all of them have been in Saturday Sydney metro company.
The mile is certainly his pet trip and under Craig Williams, I think that he can win.
The former Champagne Classic has drawn a typically good field of two-year-olds, including Sovereign Fund.
Sovereign Fund stamped himself as one to watch by winning each of his first two career starts back in December, but ended his prep at the tail of the field in the Magic Millions Classic.
He clearly needed his first run back this time when fifth, beaten three lengths by Dipsy Doodle at Rosehill last month, but I am expecting big improvement for that effort, and Timmy Clark can get the best out of him this week.
Warning didn’t show his best when he returned to action at Rosehill a fortnight ago, but I think that second-up and north of the border, he does have claims this week!
The Group 1 winner has continued to pick off nice races in his preparations subsequent to that glittering three-year-old season, and he raced well around some top level stayers last time in.
With improvement, out to 2000m and with only 54.5kgs in tow, I think he can have an impact here.
Kovalica is the early favourite for the Queensland Derby, and he can complete his preparations by winning the Ladbrokes Rough Habit Plate.
The Ocean Perk gelding ended his last prep with four consecutive wins, including the Eagle Way Quality and the Grand Prix Stakes here in Brisbane, and returned this time to fill the minors in the South Pacific Classic.
Having stormed home to win the Queensland Guineas a fortnight ago, I think he’ll only be better third-up and further out in trip.
Ten horses remain in the 2023 Doomben 10,000 field, but it remains one of the strongest editions of this race that I can remember, and surely in history as well.
I’ve put Giga Kick on top, but check out my full race preview and complete 2023 Doomben 10,000 Tips RIGHT HERE.
It could be a big day for Godolphin all around the country, and Hellfast looks a key winning chance in the Bright Shadow in Brisbane.
Hellfast hasn’t been seen at the races since December, but she has become a very competitive fresh horse, and she filled the minors behind the likes of I Am Me and Dehorned Unicorn at her last first-up start.
A couple of recent trials add further confidence and at around the $8.50 mark (at publish), we can have an each way play.