
The Doomben Cup is Group 1 weight-for-age race over 2000 metres, held at Doomben Racecourse during Brisbane’s Winter Carnival. Total prizemoney is $1 million.
Read on for the full 2022 race preview from our expert punter Alfie – the man behind the Alpha Racing membership. With the Doomben Cup meeting washed out, this year’s race has been pushed back a week and will be run at Eagle Farm Racecourse over 2100 metres.
Doomben Cup: Alfie’s preview
Speed The pace is below average. Zaaki will lead the small field with Polly Grey sitting off him.
Track With the shift to Eagle Farm, things are a little more certain – the course handles the wet and although there’s no rain currently forecast for Saturday, there’s some to come on Friday. I’m working off a track in the 5-6 range. Winners came from everywhere at the last Eagle Farm meeting – it was very much tempo-related.
Runner-by-runner
Prices courtesy of TopSport at time of publication.
1 Zaaki [$1.40] is obviously far and away the best horse here – in fact the debate is really whether he is the best horse in Australia at the moment. It’s very hard to take the $1.40… but then very hard to see who possibly beats him! He’ll handle the heavy if that happens. Won this by eight lengths last year.
9 Polly Grey [$8.50] is the one you could be confident if it very wet… and if Zaaki wasn’t in the race! The weather is drying now anyway
6 Huetor [$12] is a sneaky place chance if he can get out of the barrier better.
4 Kukeracha [$15] is a much improved horse after his sixth in the Doncaster Prelude. He continues to improve his ratings, a big place chance.
3 Yonkers [$31] would require a serious failure by Zaaki to be any hope of challenging.
5 Great House [$34] is a good horse but has no wins on the Heavy and rates down on those tracks.
2 The Chosen One [$41] is another sneaky place chance but not sure how he will handle it if really heavy.
A change in date, change in track and change in weather has @ForsmanAndrew feeling positive about The Chosen One’s chances in Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup.https://t.co/DYIGYMVUMO pic.twitter.com/wtKfigf6LE
— NZ Racing News (@nzracingnews) May 25, 2022
Will be very surprised if any of of the rest can knock the top ones off: 10 Coventina Bay [$18], 7 Maximal [$26] and 8 Esti Feny [$71].
Verdict & betting strategy
It’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it?
This is Zaaki‘s race to lose and it’s all about whether you want to take a very short price.
But for an interest, I’ve outlined a couple above that might make for solid place bets.
This could be the way to play the race if you’re keen – spread your stake with place bets and a small win bet on these:
Huetor
Kukeracha
The Chosen One
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