Leading racing analyst Daniel O’Sullivan has Kermadec on top of his 2015 Doncaster Mile tips and he believes that the talented three-year-old is the horse to beat in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Kermadec is rated by many racing experts as the horse to beat in the 2015 Doncaster Mile. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Kermadec was no certainty to earn a place in the 2015 Doncaster Mile field after he was initially named as the second emergency, but owner Neville Morgan was forced to hastily organise a flight from Brisbane to Sydney to watch his star galloper after It’s Somewhat and Moriarty were both scratched from the race.
O’Sullivan told RSN last week that Kermadec would prove very difficult to beat if he received a start in the 2015 Doncaster Mile and he believes that the three-year-old has had an ideal lead-up to the Doncaster Mile after finishing fourth in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 7, third in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on February 21, fourth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7 and third in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight ago.
“Kermadec is my top pick in the race, but he is the second emergency and there is a good prospect that he may not get a run,” O’Sullivan said.
“He is coming into this race as the emerging three-year-old with the right type of profile, he has been running some strong rating races.
“His run last start behind Real Impact in the Ryder was outstanding; he missed the start by two lengths, got a long way back in the field and his finish was phenomenal in the context of the race and it really stamps him as the emerging three-year-old on the scene and one that can overtake the likes of Hallowed Crown, Sweynesse and Shooting To Win.
“Because he hasn’t been winning those races he gets in here with just 50 kilos and he really profiles as the best chance in the race.”
Trainer Chris Waller has the chance to win the Doncaster Mile for the fifth time after previously taking out the event with Triple Honour (2008), Rangirangdoo (2010) and Sacred Falls (2013 and 2014), while jockey Glen Boss has previously won the race with Sprint By (1996), Grand Armee (2003), Racing To Win (2006), Haradasun (2007) and Triple Honour (2008).
Kermadec is currently available at 2015 Doncaster Mile odds of $.750 and is on the second line of betting behind Hallowed Crown ($7).
