High class Group 1 performer Gailo Chop is the standout among the nominations for the 2018 Group 1 $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 19.

Gailo Chop, above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Doomben Cup at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Darren Weir trained Gailo Chop is coming off a very profitable Autumn Carnival campaign that saw him with one Group 1 win and two Group 1 runner’s up cheques and the weight for age Doomben Cup looks an ideal assignment of the French import.

Gailo Chop was beaten by $61 outsider Harlem when second in the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 10 but then went one better in winning the Group 1 $700,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 24.

The seven year old then missed a place when fourth to Almandin in the Group 1 $1.5m Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 31 and then ran second to the world’s best race horse, Winx, in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on day two of The Championships at Randwick on April 14.

Gailo Chop is one four Darren Weir trained gallopers among the thirty-six nominations for the Doomben Cup, the others being Raw Impulse, Sixtie’s Groove and Tradesman.

The 2017 Doncaster Mile winner It’s Somewhat also looks well suited in the Doomben Cup and will head to Queensland with only one run under his belt to date for a first up sixth to Trapeze Artist in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 21.

The James Cummings trained It’s Somewhat gets his chance to break a twelve months winning drought on Saturday when he tries to win back to back trophies in the Group 2 $358,000 Attwood Marshall A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.

Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller dominates the Doomben Cup nominations with eight entries, Alward, Comin’ Through, Egg Tart, Higher Ground, Life Less Ordinary, One Foot In Heaven, Satono Rasen and Tom Melbourne.

Five of  the Waller trained gallopers are set to kick off their Queensland Winter Carnival campaign at the Gold Coast on Saturday with Comin’ Trough, Tom Melbourne, One Foot In Heaven, Satono Rasen and Egg Tart, all listed in the final field for the A.D. Hollindale Stakes.

The consistent Ecuador is the only horse from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable to be nominated for the 2018 Doomben Cup with his recent form producing two seconds in the Group 3 $150,000 Mounties 50th Birthday Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill on March 31 and in the Group 3 $200,000 Livamol Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) at Hawkesbury last Saturday.

The final field for the 2018 Doomben Cup will be released on Wednesday, May 16.

Nominations for the 2018 Doomben Cup (2000m)