Pornichet is currently available at 2015 Doomben Cup odds of $4.20 and is a clear favourite in betting for the Group 1 event that will be held at Doomben on Saturday.
Toowoomba Cup winner Pornichet is currently on top of 2015 Doomben Cup betting markets. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Pornichet was quickly backed into Doomben Cup favouritism following his tough victory in the Toowoomba Cup (2150m) last weekend and the imported galloper has been backed from $4.50 into $4.20 since the Doomben Cup field was released on Wednesday.
The Vespone entire will be having two starts in seven days for the first time since he arrived in Australia in the middle of last year, but trainer Gai Waterhouse is delighted with the four-year-old and is very confident he can record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Doomben Cup.
“He is absolutely terrific,” Waterhouse told Racing Ahead.
“I love back-up horses and I think that this is a very exciting horse.
“I told them at Toowoomba that hopefully you will see him in the Cox Plate in October.
“He has a lovely turn-of-foot, he won the race at Toowoomba at the 800 metre mark and he absolutely toyed with his opposition.
“He has done very well since then, he looks a picture, he has settled into Queensland and he is really training well.”
Leebaz is another galloper that will be taking form into the Doomben Cup and the talented gelding is currently on the second of betting at a quote of $5.
The Zabeel gelding made a slow start to his 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but he returned to his a semblance of his best form in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 18 before he recorded an impressive victory in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on April 25.
I’m Imposing chased home Leebaz to finish third in the Hollindale Stakes and he has remained steady at Doomben Cup odds of $8 since betting was opened earlier in the weekend.
The veteran gelding will be having just his fourth start at Group 1 level in the Doomben Cup, but the nine-year-old is racing in career best form and he is rated the most likely winning chance of the five Waller-trained gallopers in the race.
One of the most interesting runners in the 2015 Doomben Cup field is four-time Group 1 winning mare Silent Achiever, who has been backed from $9.50 into $8.50.
There were fears that Silent Achiever had run her final race after she suffered a colic attack following her eighth place finish in the Hollindale Stakes, but trainer Roger James is adamant that the O’Reilly mare has bounced back from the issue and is ready to run well in the Doomben Cup.
While Pornichet remains on top of the Doomben Cup betting market with Ladbrokes, the best backed-runner has been Gypsy Diamond and the talented mare is into $9 after opening at $11 earlier in the weekend.
Gypsy Diamond upset Leebaz to take out the JRA Plate, but she faded late to finish third behind Landlocked in the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) on May 1.
There has been a sprinkling of support in Doomben Cup betting for Banca Mo ($61 out to $41), Addictive Habit ($101 to $61) and Epingle ($21 into $17), while Moriarty ($12 out to $16), Weary ($17 out to $21) and Hopfgarten ($19 out to $26) have all been on the drift.
