Lights Of Heaven looking for revenge in Doomben Cup

In-form mare Lights Of Heaven will get her chance to claim Doomben Cup revenge at Doomben on Saturday after finishing a close second in the 2000m weight for age race at last year’s Winter Carnival.

lights of heaven

Lights Of Heaven winning the AD Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The Peter Moody trained Lights Of Heaven was narrowly beaten by the Mawingo in the Doomben Cup last year with Moody’s weight for age star import Manighar not far away in third spot.

Moody will again saddle up Lights Of Heaven and Manighar in the Group 1 $500,000 Kirks Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday with both gallopers giving him a great chance to chalk up another Group 1 win.

“We’ll run two – Lights Of Heaven and Manighar,” Moody said.

“Both horses are very well and in good order.”

While Manighar is struggling to find the form that saw him win three Group 1 weight for age races in the Autumn in 2012, Lights Of Heaven is set to go one better after recapturing her best form which saw her shine during last year’s Winter Carnival.

Lights Of Heaven took out the Group 2 $358,000 Wimmers Soft Drinks A. D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 4 after running second last year before going on for a second in the Doomben Cup.

The Zabeel mare seems to bloom during the Autumn and the Winter and came to Queensland this campiagn after scoring a convincing win in the Group 3 $125,000 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on April 6.

Manighar has failed to run a place from four runs back after knee surgery but Moody is hopeful the grey seven year old is ready to regain his weight for age winning form.

After being last year’s Autumn Carnival top weight for age performer, Manighar was forced to miss the Spring because of knee trouble and wasn’t forward enough to defend his Australian Cup crown.

Following the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington last year, Manighar continued his winning form in the Group 1 $400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 $2.25m The BMW (2400m) both at Rosehill before going down to Sydney’s super mare More Joyous in the Group 1 $500,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

Lights Of Heaven and the Chris Waller trained Foreteller share favouritism at $3.50 for the Doomben Cup with Lamasery on the next line of betting at $5.

Import Beaten Up, also from the Waller stable is at $10 with the Gai Waterhouse three year old Hippopus with Manighar listed as a $12 chance.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.