Grey gelding Bois D’Argent will be back to defend Doomben Cup crown

We reveal some of the superstars who are coming to the Sunshine State this winter to chase the pots of gold on offer.

Bois D'argent winning the JRA Plate at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

The pieces of the Queensland winter carnival puzzle are starting to come together, with Sydney trainer Rob Archibald confirming Bois D’Argent is on track to defend his Doomben Cup crown this year.

Bois D’Argent dominated the Group 3 $250,000 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday in the perfect warm-up for the winter carnival in the Sunshine State.

“He’ll certainly head towards the Doomben Cup and it was a very similar ride (on Saturday) to how he won the Doomben Cup last year,” Archibald, who will marry his training partner Annabel Neasham on Thursday, told Radio TAB.

“He’s going to head into that Doomben Cup full of confidence.

“We may consider a run in the Hollindale Stakes or we may just go straight there (to Brisbane).

“He’s in super order and it’s a nice time up there in Brisbane.

“He seems to enjoy it and hopefully we can win one of those big ones.”

Archibald revealed that Fawkner Park, who was scratched from the JRA Plate, would be targeted for the $500,000 Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on May 10 on the Gold Coast, the $1m Doomben Cup (2000m) two weeks later and then defend his Q22 (2200m) title on June 14 at Eagle Farm.

Last year, Fawkner Park defeated subsequent Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice and stablemate Bois D’Argent in the Q22.

Co-trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald will get married on Thursday before turning their focus to the Queensland winter carnival. Picture: Getty Images

The Neasham and Archibald stable elected to scratch Fawkner Park from Saturday’s JRA Plate rather than running the gelding seven days after he finished out of the placings in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

“He’s got a nice little program in front of him and he’s going up to Queensland in good order,” Archibald said.

Meanwhile, the Joe Pride-trained Mazu is likely to contest the Group 1 $1.5m Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on May 17, a race he won a heavy track in 2022 as a three-year-old.

The son of Maurice ended a year-long drought when he defended his crown in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, with Jamie Melham riding.

“She’s convinced that the horse doesn’t necessarily respond to being dictated to,” Pride told Radio TAB.

“His idea is a good idea and she seems to be going well on him.

“She’s the only jockey who’s won on him in the last couple of years so I’ve got to believe there’s something in that.”

Jockey Sam Clipperton shows his joy at winning the Doomben 10,000 on Mazu in 2022. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography.

Pride said two-time The Everest placegetter Private Eye, who suffered a serious eye infection this year, would compete in the Group 1 $1m Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 31 and possibly the $3m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) two weeks later.

Coal Crusher, who finished a length-and-a-quarter behind stablemate Mazu in the Hall Mark Stakes on Saturday, is a good chance of running in the $300,000 Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Shangri La Spring, who upset hot favourite Swiftfalcon in Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick, is also expected to head north to Queensland this winter.

Bott said on Radio TAB on Sunday that the colt would run in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) on Saturday week at Eagle Farm and possibly stretch out to 2400m in the Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby at the same track on May 31.

Exciting import Eliyass could be aimed at the major staying races in Brisbane after sitting out the Sydney autumn carnival.

“We trialled him the other day and he’s in good shape,” Bott said.

Originally published as Grey gelding Bois D’Argent will be back to defend Doomben Cup crown