Doomben 10,000 – 2021

Track: Soft   Weather: Fine

There are 11 runners for the $1,000,000 Doomben 10,000. Three of them had their last start in the Group 2 Victory Stakes on 1 May while the rest all came through different races. There are two entires, one colt, six geldings and two mares, and Tony Gollan is the only trainer with two runners. The early favourite is  Eduardo who has had three starts this preparation for a Group 2 win, a Group 1 win and a Group 1 place. Second favourite is three-year-old Wild Ruler who won the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint last start. Third favourite is Trekking who resumed for 1.45 lengths 5th in the Victory Stakes and normally improves second-up.

Splintex has won six of his 16 starts and comes off a Group 3 win. Vega One finished 2nd in the Victory Stakes. Wild Planet resumes here after a 28 week spell and has had two recent trials. Graff is first-up from a 17 week spell, while The Harrovian has had a nine week break.  The other three runners are currently 40 to 1 or longer.

1. Trekking

This six-year-old Street Cry gelding trained by James Cummings has 10 wins and 10 places from 34 starts, including two Group 1 wins – The Goodwood in 2020 and the Stradbroke Handicap in 2019. He resumed from a 22 week spell for 1.45 lengths 5th in the Victory Stakes and usually improves second-up. He is a genuine galloper who is never far away and should go in all the trifectas and first 4’s.

2. Eduardo

One of 3 seven-year-olds in the race, he has seven wins and seven places from 20 starts. He resumed from an 18 week spell with a first-up win in the G2 Challenge Stakes over 1000m then won the Group 1 The Galaxy over 1100m, then was 2nd to Nature Strip in the G1 T J Smith Stakes over 1200m on 10 April. Since then he won a Warwick Farm trial by 3.5 lengths on 7 May. One of the main chances

3. Kings Will Dream

Trained by Chris Waller he is one of 4 runners resuming from a spell in this race. At the end of last campaign he ran 3rd in the G2 Crystal Mile then finished 13th in the Listed Ballarat Cup. His first-up statistics are not that good and I don’t expect to see him in the finish.

4. Wild Planet

This five-year-old has six wins and six places from 20 starts and resumes here after 28 weeks. He has had two recent trials and will go well over the distance. Not the worst.

5. Splintex

This four-year-old Snitzel horse has six wins and three places from 16 starts. He only battled when 8.1 lengths 10th in the G1 The Galaxy, then showed a big improvement to win the G3 Hall Mark Stakes over 1200m by 0.5 length on 24 April. Capable of collecting prizemoney here.

6. Vega One

One of two runners for Tony Gollan, this five-year-old resumed for 1.2 lengths 6th in the Ascot Quality Handicap then hit the front late before finishing 2nd in the G2 Victory Stakes. I think he will run well and looks a nice each-way bet.

7. The Harrovian

This seven-year-old Fastnet Rock gelding has 17 wins from 32 starts, and won 11 consecutive races from July 2019 to December 2020. He has only raced once at Group level for 5th in the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue, then was 4.1 lengths 5th in the All Star Mile. Despite his big odds I think he won’t be far away at the finish.

8. Graff

Three of his four wins have occurred first-up. He resumes from a 17 week spell here and won the G2 Caulfield Sprint first-up last campaign.

9. Wild Ruler

This three-year-old Snitzel colt is the baby of the field and has five wins and three places from 10 starts. He has had three starts this campaign for two wins – the latest was the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. With barrier 2 and James McDonald riding he is one of the main chances.

10. Pennino

Last start she came 3rd in the Victory Stakes at $151. This is her best distance range but she is a hard horse to follow.

11. Embrace Me

This Shamexpress mare is the outsider in the betting market. She was 0.75 length 2nd in a BM90 handicap over 1110m at Doomben at her latest start.This is a huge rise in grade and I think she will find it too tough.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
9 Wild Ruler
2 Eduardo
6 Vega One
7 The Harrovian

Group 1 The Goodwood 2021 (Morphettville 1200m)

Listed Andrew Ramsden 2021 (Flemington 2800m)