Doomben Review: Nathan Exelby talks with the winners and losers from Saturday’s Brisbane meeting

THE Courier Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Doomben meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.

THE Courier-Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Doomben meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.

Race 1

“HE came over from France and lost his way. His form in Melbourne was all over the place. It’s taken a few runs to get his head right, but now that he’s learnt to settle, he might be able to win a good race,” winning trainer Matthew Dunn said.

“He gave me a good feel. I was worried coming to the corner but he let down very fast. You don’t see that too often. It was a good win,” jockey James Orman said.

THE BEATEN DIVISION

“I thought he would bolt in coming to the turn, but he just didn’t run it out.” Brooke Stower on the well-tried Punta Norte (4th).

THE FAVOURITE

Walhaan accounted for 55 per cent of money invested in UBET’s book. Backers were in trouble when he was shuffled back through the field approaching the turn. Still failed to produce anything in the straight in a most disappointing effort.

Race 2

EMOTIONS ran high after Oink landed the prize in the narrowest of photos after nailing Nicconi Leggera right on the line.

Jim Byrne lodged a protest against the winner, alleging a bump cost his mount at least a head. Stewards deemed the interference came after the line, despite the best efforts of Byrne and trainer Chris Munce.

THE BETTING

$3000 on Oink at $5.50

$2300 Nicconi Leggera at $3.50

Race 3

BARRY Lockwood said the key to Kudero is having good speed in his races, something he was obliged with today.

“He was travelling all right last week, but then they pulled up and he just took hold of the rider,” Lockwood said.

THE FAVOURITE

“Step him up to 1400m and he will be winning now,” Jim Byrne said of third placed Deconstructed.

THE BETTING

Dream Of Slips $2000 at $4.60

Kudero $1100 at $7.50

Feltre $1050 at $7.50

Race 4

RECKLESS Abandon landed a big betting move to complete a winning hat-trick and Liam Birchley is now eyeing carnival races.

“The way he’s going, we can probably look at some of the lower tier stakes races over the carnival,” Birchley said.

“His best rating actually came over 2000m, but there’s plenty of 1600m options so I’m happy to keep him around this trip for the time being.”

THE RUNNER-UP

“I thought for a fleeting moment he was going to run past them, but maybe the 1600m just found him out,” Paul Hammersley said of runner up Tan Tat Diamond

THE BETTING

Curiously, UBET were able to avoid the fluctuation move for Reckless Abandon, who ran as a winner in their book. Best bet on him was $2200 at $4.

Biggest bet in the race was $4000 on Tan Tat Diamond at $2.70.

Race 5

Matt Dunn has Queensland Guineas (1600m) ambitions for Perfect Dare but Jim Byrne thinks the Fastnet Rock gelding might be “too sharp” for that race after a gutsy first up 1050m win today.

“He’s a brother to a Derby winner (Magicool) but I don’t think he will run that sort of trip,” Dunn said.

“He wasn’t entitled to fight on as strong as he did because he was a long way under done.”

THE BEATEN DIVISION

Divine Centuri raced wide throughout but still hit the line to run third.

“You’ve got a nice horse on your hands,” jockey Ryan Wiggins said.

THE BETTING

Perfect Dare: $2,000 at $3.80.

Divine Centuri: $2,500 @ $3.40 & $2,300 @ $3.30.

Blueberry Hill: $1,500w/$3,500p @ $5.50/$1.95 and would have been the worst result for UBET.

Race 6

Matt Dunn completed the best week of his training career when Kebede saluted to make it six winners since Wednesday and book herself a path to the Queensland Oaks.

“We’ve had the Oaks in mind for a long time. She has such a big stride and takes the length of the straight to find her rhythm,” Dunn said.

Jockey Jim Byrne endorsed the Oaks plan.

“We thought it might be a shade short for her today but that was a very impressive win. She has a deep stride and can relax off a good tempo,” Byrne said.

THE BETTING

Kebede did bookies a favour, with runner-up Dee Nine Elle easily the best backed runner in UBET’s book.

Dee Nine Elle: $3,000 @ $4.40.

Red Future: $800w/$1,600p @ $10/$3.25.

Rainbow Lace: $1,300 @ $6.50.

Sir Moments powers home under 60.5kg. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Race 7

Steve O’Dea declared Sir Moments at least the equal of 12 months ago after he powered home under 60.5kg.

“They are the sort of races he loves. He loves to chase, he loves tempo and the weight didn’t worry him at all,” O’Dea said.

Sir Moments now heads to the Tails Stakes at Caloundra in a fortnight before trying to go one better in the Hollindale Stakes next month.

THE BETTING

Sir Moments accounted for 40pc of UBET’s hold and was “a stripout.”

Sir Moments: $2,700 @ $3.60, $2,900 @ $3.40 & $2,000 $3.10.

Race 8

Jim Byrne was wishing Elegant Composure had been a scratching soon after the start of the final event, with the early part of the race not working out like he had envisaged.

“She couldn’t go the early speed, so I had to revert to Plan B and just let her find her feet and make sure she had a trouble free run,” Byrne said.

“She really banged her head hard on the gates and I had my leg jammed up against the barriers. She’s done a big job to win after that.”

THE RUNNER-UP

“She’s better than (Elegant Composure) once we get across the road. I can’t wait to get her to Eagle Farm,” Robbie Fradd said of Oradonna.

THE BETTING

Elegant Composure: $1,000 (x2) @ $2.30 & $1,500 @ $2.10

Sankara Spirit: $1,000ew @ $23/$6.50.

“Punters were climbing over themselves to back Elegant Composure. Was a brutal late loss for the bookies,” UBET’s Nick Curry said.

Originally published as Doomben Review: Nathan Exelby talks with the winners and losers from Saturday’s Brisbane meeting