The Group 1 XXXX Doomben Cup may have drawn a compact field this Saturday, but what it lacks in numbers it more than makes up for in quality, intrigue and tactical pressure.
Run over 2000 metres under weight-for-age conditions, the $1 million feature brings together a fascinating mix of proven Group 1 performers, elite stayers, progressive middle-distance horses and one of Australian racing’s most compelling front-runners. Final acceptances produced a field of seven, with Pride Of Jenni, Half Yours, Birdman, Vauban, Asterix, Kovalica and She’s A Hustler all set to line up in Race 8 at Doomben.
At the centre of the race is Pride Of Jenni, the Ciaron Maher-trained mare who continues to make every race she contests a spectacle. Her racing pattern is no secret: she rolls forward, builds pressure from a long way out and dares her rivals to chase. In a small Doomben Cup field, that style becomes even more dangerous, particularly around a circuit where rhythm and positioning can prove decisive. Racing.com noted that the reduced seven-runner field could suit Pride Of Jenni, especially after she controlled the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.
Her latest performance in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes was the ideal platform into this assignment. She led throughout over 1800 metres, beating Birdman and She’s A Hustler, with Half Yours finishing fourth. That race now looks the key form reference for Saturday, with the first four home all accepting for another clash in the Doomben Cup.
The question now is whether her rivals can get close enough early, without burning too much energy, to make a race of it late. Pride Of Jenni has already shown this campaign that she remains a serious Group 1 force, having run a narrow second in the Australian Cup over 2000 metres before winning the Hollindale. Her form profile in the supplied race card shows a sequence of high-pressure performances: third in the All-Star Mile, second in the Australian Cup, fifth in the Queen Of The Turf and then victory in the Hollindale Stakes.
Trying to turn the tables is Half Yours, the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup hero who brings genuine star power to the race. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding returned over 1400 metres in the All Aged Stakes before stepping up to 1800 metres in the Hollindale, where he finished fourth behind Pride Of Jenni. On paper, the further rise to 2000 metres looks much more suitable, and market previews during the week had him prominent at the top of betting for the Doomben Cup.
Half Yours’ spring achievements remain outstanding. He won the Caulfield Cup over 2400 metres before backing up to claim the Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres, confirming himself as the country’s premier stayer. Saturday’s challenge is different. This is not a staying test at Flemington or Caulfield; it is a sharp 2000-metre weight-for-age race at Doomben, likely run at a strong tempo if Pride Of Jenni is allowed to roll. The race shape asks whether Half Yours has enough tactical speed at this stage of his preparation to stay within striking distance before his stamina comes into play.
Birdman is arguably the runner with the most straightforward case to improve. The Chris Waller-trained gelding was excellent in the Hollindale, closing well into second behind Pride Of Jenni, and he now meets her again with James McDonald retaining the ride. The gelding had already built a strong campaign before heading north, winning the Group 2 Blamey Stakes over 1600 metres and the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes over 1800 metres before a solid fifth in the Australian Cup. His recent form suggests 2000 metres is ideal, and he looks the type who can absorb pressure and keep finding late.
There is also a major Waller storyline attached to Birdman. Reports this week noted that a Doomben Cup win would give Chris Waller his 200th career Group 1 victory and his fourth win in the Doomben Cup, which would place him alongside Lee Freedman on the race’s training honour roll. That adds another layer of significance to an already important race for the stable.
Waller has strength in numbers, with Asterix and Kovalica also in the field. Asterix arrives in winning form, having taken out the JRA Plate over 2000 metres at Randwick before backing up with victory in the Gosford Cup over 2100 metres. He is a former New Zealand Derby winner and comes into this race as a fit, in-form stayer who should appreciate a genuine tempo. From barrier two with Jason Collett, he maps to get a more economical run than some of the bigger names and could be the one building into the race if the leaders overdo it.
Kovalica is the proven Doomben horse in the field. His record shows previous success at the track and multiple placings over this course and distance, which gives him a different profile to several rivals having their first look at Doomben. His recent form has been plain compared to his best, but he was fifth in the Hollindale after settling back and has the inside barrier this time. If he can hold a more positive position and recapture something near his peak, he is capable of outrunning market expectations.
The international flavour comes through Vauban, now with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Once best known to many racing fans as a high-profile European stayer, he has already shown he can be effective at 2000 metres in Australia, winning the Group 3 Sky High Stakes at Rosehill earlier this preparation before finishing third in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes over 2400 metres. Dropping back to 2000 metres asks a different question, but with Tim Clark aboard and Waterhouse/Bott polish, he could be more prominent than expected if they decide to make use of his stamina early.
She’s A Hustler gives the race another live chance from the mares’ ranks. She has an excellent overall record, with seven wins from 13 starts, and has already proven herself at 2000 metres and beyond. Her spring campaign included victory in the Group 2 Sandown Classic over 2400 metres, while this preparation she has returned with a fourth in the Queen Of The Turf and a third in the Hollindale. She looks ready to peak third-up and should be suited by the rise back to 2000 metres.
Tactically, the Doomben Cup revolves around Pride Of Jenni. If she finds the front comfortably and Declan Bates is able to control the race on his terms, she can turn the contest into another sustained chase. However, if Vauban, She’s A Hustler or even one of the Waller runners applies pressure earlier than expected, the race could open up for Half Yours, Birdman or Asterix to attack late.
That is what makes this year’s edition so compelling. It is not simply a matter of the best horse on ratings. Pride Of Jenni will try to break their hearts again from the front. Half Yours will be looking to bring his staying class into play. Birdman has the profile of a horse still improving at the right distance. She’s A Hustler is ready to peak. Vauban adds tactical depth. Asterix brings winning form and Kovalica brings Doomben experience.
Small fields can sometimes produce cautious racing, but this Doomben Cup does not look like one of those races. With Pride Of Jenni engaged, the race should be run honestly, and that should give every runner the chance to prove whether they are good enough.
By Scott Bailey
