The 2015 Doomben Cup field has been released and talented mare Silent Achiever is set to have what could be the final race start of her career in Brisbane on Saturday.
Silent Achiever has been included in the 2015 Doomben Cup field. Photo by: Steve Hart
The racing future of Silent Achiever came into question when she failed to fire in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on April 25 and suffered a colic attack on the float back to Brisbane, but the O’Reilly mare has bounced back in the past 10 days and she impressed trainer Roger James with the way that she performed in trackwork yesterday morning.
The Hollindale Stakes is set to be the key form reference for the Doomben Cup and Team Hawkes-trained Leebaz will have the opportunity to replicate the feat of Streama last year and complete the Hollindale Stakes/ Doomben Cup double.
Leebaz failed to record a race win since he finished second in the Doomben Cup last year, but he produced a fast-finishing effort in the Hollindale Stakes that saw him rocket towards the top of the Doomben Cup betting markets.
I’m Imposing made up plenty of ground late to finish third in the Hollindale Stakes and he will have the chance to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the Doomben Cup, while triple Group 1 winner Foreteller, 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon, Matt Laurie-trained Escado and the Chris Waller-trained duo of Moriarty and Hawkspur are also set to back-up from the Hollindale Stakes.
Pornichet missed out on a place in the Hollindale Stakes field, but he able to jump to the top of 2015 Doomben Cup betting markets when he carried 60.5 kilograms to victory in the Toowoomba Cup (2150m) last Saturday.
The Vespone entire made a slow start to his 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign, but he returned to winning form in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and he finished a more than credible fifth behind Kermadec in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 6.
One of the most interesting runners in the 2015 Doomben Cup field is Tasmanian galloper Banca Mo, who will be returning to the races for the first time since he recorded an impressive victory in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on March 28.
Banca Mo has been set for the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) at Doomben on June 6, but trainer Scott Brunton has elected to give the Tough Speed gelding his first opportunity at the highest level of racing this weekend.
Another interesting runner in the field for the Group 1 event is Chris Waller-trained Weary, who will be stepping up to 2000 metres for the first time since he made his Australian racing debut in February last year.
Weary returned to racing with a fast-finishing victory in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 31 and he finished third in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 14, but has failed to fire in three subsequent starts.
Robert Heathcote-trained Hopfgarten, Kiwi galloper Addictive Habit, Team Snowden-trained Gypsy Diamond and Chairman’s Handicap winner Epingle round out the 2015 Doomben Cup field.
