The McKell Cup meeting will be held at Randwick this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday and with overcast weather in Sydney over the next couple of days, Randwick will be racing on a Soft surface on raceday.
The Doomben 10,000 meeting will be held this Saturday. Doomben was rated a Soft 6 on Thursday and with further showers leading up to the weekend, the meeting will certainly be held on a rain-affected track.
The re-juvenated jockey Jim Cassidy can take out another ‘black type’ race, this time on Destiny’s Kiss in the McKell Cup (Sydney Race 6, 2400m). The Joe Pride-trained gelding has slowly worked his way into form culminating to a last start 3rd in the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup a fortnight ago. The 6YO can handle all track conditions and the step up to 2400m will not be a problem. And there should be fairly good pace in the McKell Cup so Destiny’s Kiss would not be disadvantaged being a back-marker.
Top weight Wish Come True is the class horse in the Premier’s Cup (Brisbane Race 1, 2020m). The 5YO has been performing consistently in the country cup races, with his brilliant last start 1.8 lengths 4th in the Toowoomba Cup behind subsequent Doomben Cup winner Pornichet. Wish Come True has a good record in the wet winning 3 times from 8 attempts on Soft/Heavy condition. From barrier 5, Glen Boss will park the gelding just behind the leaders and he’ll be ready to unleash in the straight.
Jockey of the moment Blake Shinn looks primed to take out the Glenlogan Park Stakes on board I’ve Got The Looks. The Team Snowden-trained 5YO has won both starts this preparation taking out the Listed Silking Stocking & the Juanmo Stakes. Stepping up to 1350m 3rd up is ideal. I’ve Got The Looks has never missed a place on Soft track winning 3 times and a 3rd placing from 4 starts. From barrier 7, Shinn will be able to park the mare just behind the pace and I’ve Got The Looks will be the horse they all have to beat.
Srikandi’s rapid rise to stardom in last year’s Winter Carnival saw her starting as favourite in the 2014 Doomben 10,000 where she finished 3rd. Srikandi won well 1st up this preparation in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) before losing all winning chance in the BTC Cup last start after being slowly away. The 4YO has been unbeaten in the wet winning 2 from 2 on Heavy track and she has a win & a placing over 1350m. From barrier 5 (will starts in 4 after taking out the emergencies), the in-form Damian Browne will give Srikandi a cushy run just behind the leaders. The Dubawi mare is a year older and has a better preparation this year and I believe she can redeem herself by winning the Doomben 10,000 on Saturday (Brisbane Race 8, 1350m).
By Owens Wong, Editor
