Our Boy Malachi needs luck from wide barrier in Doomben 10,000

Trainer Michael Hawkes is adamant that Our Boy Malachi will need plenty of  luck from a wide barrier in the Group 1 $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Our Boy Malchi will need plenty of luck from a wide barrier in the Doomben 10,000. Photo by Steve Hart.

Our Boy Malchi will need plenty of luck from a wide barrier in the Doomben 10,000. Photo by Steve Hart.

Our Boy Malachi has drawn barrier twelve in the sixteen horse field but will come in one if the emergency Nite Rocker, barrier three, doesn’t gain a start.

The speedy Our Boy Malachi’s usual pattern of racing is near or in the lead and the six year old had to work hard in the early stages to reach the front before getting run down to finish third behind Hot Snitzel and Knoydart in the Group 1 $500,000 UBET BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben a fortnight ago.

Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his brother Wayne, and father John, is disappointed that  Our Boy Malachi has drawn an awkward gate and can see him having to work hard again to get across into a favourable position.

“It’s disappointing to draw wide and he doesn’t want any bad luck,” Hawkes told Racing Queensland News.

“The horse is flying. It’s just unfortunate he’s drawn badly.”

“He’s quite adaptable and doesn’t have to lead.”

“His last run when third in the BTC Cup was quite good but he had to do too much work in the first 400 metres.

“If you swap barriers with the winner it’s a different result.”

Top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry was aboard the six year old in the BTC Cup and at his previous start when he scored a first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Ticketek Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 18 and gets the ride again in the Doomben 10,000.

The former Rockhampton trained sprinter is the winner of seventeen of his nineteen starts and is on the verge of adding a Group 1 victory to his winning tally.

The Ciaron Maher trained Srikandi has drawn favourably at barrier five and even though she performed poorly after missing the start when eighth in the BTC Cup, bookmakers at Ladbrokes.com.au have still installed her as the $5.50 favourite ahead of Generalife at $7 and Our Boy Malachi at $7.50.

Doomben 10,000 market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5.50 Srikandi, $7 Generalife, $7.50 Our Boy Malachi, $8 Scissor Kick, Bring Me The Maid, $11 Sacred Star, $12 Knoydart, $13 Rock Sturdy, $17 Flamingo Star, $18 Charlie Boy, Boban, $19 Big Money, $26 Temple Of Boom, Time For War, $51 Fontelina, Nite Rocker, $71 Neo.

 

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.