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The Doomben Wrap : 1st June 2019

by Alex Steedman , 4 years ago

3 minute read

The Doomben Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch from the Queensland Oaks meeting at Doomben on June 1.

Pretty In Pink winning the Sky Racing Moreton Cup
Pretty In Pink winning the Sky Racing Moreton Cup Picture: Racing and Sports

Winning Ways  claimed the Queensland Oaks in an upset result, leading home a trifecta which paid over $10,000.

Pretty In Pink  will head to the Stradbroke Handicap after taking out the Moreton Bay Cup and if successful would be the first filly since La Montagna in 2006 to claim the feature Group 1 sprint.

Winning Ways winning the Treasury Brisbane Qld Oaks
Winning Ways winning the Treasury Brisbane Qld Oaks Picture: Racing and Sports

Sixties Groove  and Brave Song continue to knock on the door of a win this prep and will likely each have one more chance to deliver during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Multaja brought her strong autumn form to the first day of winter by saluting in the Listed Coughlan Stakes (1200m). She will now look to continue the good record of fillies contesting the Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 22.

 

 

 

Race 1: Shadow Hero - Listed 2YO The Phoenix (1630m) 

There were a few nervous moments as Shadow Hero was looking for the run. The son of Pierro got the split at the 200m and attacked it.

It’s only the second year The Phoenix has been conducted over the mile, it had been a 1350m sprint so there isn’t much relevant history behind it at this point.

Shadow Hero will back up in the JJ Atkins this Saturday. He’ll go into the race as one of the few runners to be proven over the mile.

Next season is probably when he’ll start to really hit his peak. His sire Pierro has produced a host of Derby winners in just a few seasons at stud. You’d say this bloke is a big chance of being set for races like the Spring Champion in Sydney and the Victoria Derby during the spring.

 

Race 2: Diamond Thunder - Listed Oxlade Stakes (1200m)

Diamond Thunder’s career has started ideally, three wins from four starts. He was held up badly in the straight however showed impressive acceleration once clear in the final 100m.

We assessed the run at a Timeform rating of 109. It’s the highest figure of the Oxlade Stakes since Youthful Jack in 2008 and Shellscrape in 2009 won the race. They each went on to win Group races as three-year-olds.

Diamond Thunder winning the Authentic Security Oxlade Stks
Diamond Thunder winning the Authentic Security Oxlade Stks Picture: Racing and Sports

This is the first year the Oxlade has been run over 1200m and early signs suggest it could attract a stronger calibre of 2YO to the race.

It sounds like Diamond Thunder will be headed to the Magic Millions Guineas as a three-year-old which already looks an ideal target race for the Mark Newnham-trained runner.

 

Race 3: Meet Mr Taylor - Class 6 Plate (1200m)

Race 3 was the only event on the card not of stakes level however produced a winner who could very well make that grade next prep in Meet Mr Taylor.

The gelding led throughout for a 1.3 length success, his seventh win from nine career starts.

 

Race 4: Pretty In Pink - Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m)

Pretty In Pink landed outside the lead and held off Brave Song Late.

Before Saturday she was a stakes winner and dual Group 2 placegetter.

The daughter of Sebring is now a Group 2 winner. She’s run to a Timeform rating of 108 and became the first filly since Ortensia in 2009 to win the race.

Pretty In Pink is off to the Stradbroke next. Sincero in 2011 was the last horse to come out of this race and win a Stradbroke. La Montagna was the last filly to win the Stradbroke Handicap in 2006, the last filly prior to that was Private Steer in 2003 for John O’Shea.

The three-year-old will carry only 49.5kg. Connections have already booked Robbie Dolan who can make that weight comfortably so it is a case of full steam ahead to this Saturday.

Brave Song was fantastic in second. Third placegetter Winter Bride is in career best form.

Viridine was sound in fourth giving all of his rivals weight. Those boys behind Pretty In Pink can contest the Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich in two weeks. The mares, Winter Bride and I Am Excited can head to the Gai Waterhouse Classic on the same day.

 

Race 5: Plague Stone - Listed Lightning Handicap (1050m)

We see it all too often, they get gelded and all of a sudden become a racehorse.

Plague Stone has won two of his three starts so far this prep. His only defeat came behind Zoustyle in the JRA Plate.

Plague Stone winning the Ipg Marketing Lightning Hcp
Plague Stone winning the Ipg Marketing Lightning Hcp Picture: Racing and Sports

With news Zoustyle is out for the remainder of the autumn, the Daybreak Lover this Saturday could be Plague Stone’s for the taking after performing so well against the older horses.

Amanaat was excellent in third. That was his first run off a good break. He was giving everything else in the race weight and charged home.

In Good Time in 11th - that was a disaster. She looked set to be in the finish but was held up badly inside the furlong. She’s a 1000m, 1100m type sprinter so unless they want to stretch the mare to 1200m or run her in Benchmark races there isn’t much in terms of suitable options for the rest of the season.

 

Race 6: Redouble - Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1350m)

Redouble is now a million dollar prizemoney earner. The son of Redoute’s Choice dropped back in grade from weight for age after contesting the Kingsford-Smith Cup and clearly loved it. He ran to a new career peak Timeform rating of 109 which is a high figure for the race.

He’s 27th in the order of entry for the Stradbroke Handicap. He’s got to be some chance of gaining a start from there. Is a race like the Stradbroke out of his reach though in terms of ratings? Probably.

The Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich in a fortnight is a more suitable target for him.

Mr Marbellouz was finding the line well in third. It was his first look at a longer sprint trip and was strong late.

The gelding is deep into his prep but it looks like he’s added a new string to his bow and it’s probably worth giving him one more start in the Eye Liner before a spell.

 

Race 7: Multaja - Listed Coughlan Stakes (1200m)

Multaja has won three of her past five starts now through a prep which kicked off in February.

She was strong to the line on Saturday and produced a Timeform rating of 109.

Multaja winning the Mittys Helen Coughlan Stakes
Multaja winning the Mittys Helen Coughlan Stakes Picture: Racing and Sports

The Tatt’s Tiara is next for the daughter of Medaglia D'Oro and she certainly deserves her chance there. The Tatt’s Tiara is a good race for three-year-old fillies. They are turning four in five weeks time but still get a 1.5kg allowance off the mares.

Between 2008 and 2014, five of the seven winners in that time were three-year-olds (Absolut Glam, Melito, Yosei, Pear Tart and Cosmic Endeavour).

Madam Rouge had a horrid run and was forced to travel wide no cover throughout. The Chris Waller-trained filly did well to finish second. She has looked great in both runs since an autumn let up and can perhaps head to the Tatt’s Tiara via the Gai Waterhouse Classic.

Snow Valley in sixth looks to have a motor on her. She’s only had five career starts so is giving her rivals a big experience edge. The Matt Dunn-trained filly could be peaking third up in a Gai Waterhouse Classic. That said, she’s a BOBS filly so there is the opportunity for her to drop back in grade and pick off some BOBS cash in Sydney through June and July either against her own age or in Highway Handicaps.

 

Race 8: Winning Ways - Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m)

Winning Ways  enjoyed a dream run, off the pace on the fence. She led in an unlikely trifecta that paid 10k and a First Four which paid 100k.

It looks a case of her being in the right place at the right time. This rates as the weakest Oaks since Miss Keepsake won in 2010.

Winning Ways winning the Treasury Brisbane Qld Oaks
Winning Ways winning the Treasury Brisbane Qld Oaks Picture: Racing and Sports

The favourites Etana and Princess Jenni both got caught wide, Etana pulled up sore. This basically put the race up for grabs and it was the locals who capitalised.

Lady Cuvee in third was massive. She has a proper NZ staying pedigree being by Savabeel out of an O’reilly mare. A bit more luck getting clear running and she could have caused a blowout.

Overall though, confidence levels are low we’ll see this years Oaks hold up as a form reference next season.

 

Race 9: Kenedna - Group 2 P.J O’Shea Stakes (2200m)

Kenedna is a mare in form, simple as that. She was impressive late and produced a Timeform rating of 112.

Mares have dominated this race of late, they’ve won five of the past seven runnings. Lights Of Heaven and Single Gaze are two in particular which come to mind.

Kenedna winning the Bundaberg Rum P.J. O'Shea Stks
Kenedna winning the Bundaberg Rum P.J. O'Shea Stks Picture: Racing and Sports

Kenedna is off to the spelling paddock now. It took some serious will power for connections to make that call considering how hard she looked to beat in this Saturday’s Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).

Ciaron Maher has longer term goals of the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate for the mare.

With Kenedna off the scene, Sixties Groove or Life Less Ordinary can move out of her shadow in the Brisbane Cup. They’ve finished just off her in both the Doomben Cup and P.J O’Shea Stakes now. Both should be right at their peak for this, fourth or fifth run from a spell.

Alex Steedman's Queensland Oaks Day Recap

Racing and Sports

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