2025 Doomben 10,000: Trainer Jason Warren says no worries for Benedetta if wet conditions prevail

Punters have warmed to Benedetta in Doomben 10,000 betting and they will be glad to hear trainer Jason Warren has no qualms about his mares chances if the track happens to be heavy.

Benedetta has been the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 contender that punters have really warmed to during the week and trainer Jason Warren says he has no qualms if the track happens to be heavy.

Warren sent the Victorian mare north for a Stradbroke Handicap tilt last year but she wasn’t a factor and the trainer now concedes it was an afterthought following her Group 1 The Goodwood triumph in Adelaide.

Fast forward to 2025 and there is a new blueprint and a far more deliberate assault on Queensland winter carnival riches.

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The Doomben track is likely to be rain-affected on Saturday, but how wet it is comes down to the vagaries of the weather forecast.

If southeast Queensland’s 2025 big wet creates a heavy surface, it will be a step into the unknown for Benedetta considering she has never started on a heavy track in her 20-start career.

Bur Mornington trainer Warren isn’t concerned about track conditions, pointing out his mare ran on stoutly to finish runner-up behind Schwarz in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley in March.

Schwarz was utterly brilliant in the William Reid Stakes, finding the lead from the outset & pounding his opposition into the turf 💫

Where to next for @JohnOSheaRacing's Group 1 winning son of Zoustar? pic.twitter.com/nL1ia4tgb5

— Racing.com (@Racing) March 22, 2025

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The track that night was officially rated a Soft (6) but Warren believes it was worse than that.

“The track at Moonee Valley was actually very heavy, it was not rated heavy but I am sure it was,” Warren said.

“She got through it fine that day. She is probably going to be more adept at racing on a heavy track now than what she might have been when she was younger.

“It is just probably more coincidence than anything that she hasn’t raced on a heavy track before.

“I wanted her to come up to Queensland with fresh legs this year.

“Last year when we came up, it was almost an afterthought after we won the Goodwood.”

Trainer Jason Warren being interviewed before last year’s Stradbroke Handicap. Picture: Lachie Millard

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During last year’s winter carnival, Warren flew to Bali and married wife Kate.

It was a happy celebration and Warren is hoping for a happy celebration of a different type this year – a Group 1 Doomben 10,000 triumph with Benedetta.

A week after Jamie Melham scored the Group 1 Goodwood on Reserve Bank, the star Victorian jockey takes the ride on Benedetta.

On Friday, Benedetta was a $5 chance with TAB fixed odds after being $6 before Tuesday’s barrier draw and then $6.50 in the revised betting market.

🇦🇺AUSTRALIA(Morphettville) 11/05/2024 : (GR.1) Benedetta(Hellbent/Whatalovelyday By Domesday)

Wins THE GOODWOOD

3 years old & upwards
1200m Turf(01:10:57)

O : Eales Racing Pty Ltd Syndicate, B M Wilson Et Al
T : @WarrenRacing
J : @jamieleekah07

2nd : Stretan Angel pic.twitter.com/uddUfr7ve5

— NAHEEZ RACING نحيز ريسنغ (@musallamqatan) May 11, 2024

• Wet the key to Wealth in Group 1 Doomben 10,000

While the money has been sluggish for other fancies such as Overpass and Schwarz, Benedetta was holding close to a quarter of the total Doomben 10,000 outlays with TAB and is best backed.

Value punters have zeroed in on Tony Gollan-trained sprinter Hidden Wealth and noted mudlark Mazu as good roughies.

On Friday, Queensland vets passed all Doomben 10,000 runners to take their place in the $1.5m Group 1.

Earlier in the week, Golden Mile, Belclare and Estriella had been scratched.

Originally published as 2025 Doomben 10,000: Trainer Jason Warren says no worries for Benedetta if wet conditions prevail