Ladbrokes Tip: Four-year-olds have a dominant Doomben Cup record in recent years

The Doomben Cup is the second Group 1 race of the annual Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival after the Doomben 10,000 and takes place on a Saturday in mid – late May at Doomben Racecourse. Contested over 2000m the weight-for-age event attracts a field of class staying types and offers $700,000 in total prize money. 

The winner of the Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast a fortnight earlier is exempt from Doomben Cup ballot and the double was last achieved by Streama (2014) and Zaaki (2021) won won the Group 1 by a record seven lengths. 

The best out of the Doomben Cup field are now likely to target the $1.2 million The Q22 (2200m) – a rebranded WFA feature race held at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke Handicap Day. 

The latest edition of the Doomben Cup ran on Saturday May 22, 2021 after there was no 2020 edition due to COVID-19 and saw Zaaki salute for the punters by a runaway seven lengths. 

Doomben Cup Race Info

• Date: Saturday May 22, 2021
• Track: Doomben Racecourse
• Distance: 2000m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $700,000
• First Run: 1933

Doomben Cup 2021 Results

The official 2021 Doomben Cup Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race is run and won in Brisbane on Saturday May 22, 2021.

• 1st: #5 Zaaki
• 2nd: #12 Toffee Tongue
• 3rd: #9 Brandenburg

The Annabel Neasham-trained favourite Zaaki ($2.25) could not have been more impressive, the last-start Hollindale winner going to another level to dominate the 2021 Doomben Cup results by a runaway seven lengths ahead of a likely start in the $1.2 million The Q22 (2200m) on Stradbroke Day. 

Doomben Cup Odds

Doomben Cup betting is open at futures prices around nomination stage offering generous all-in prices on the hopeful horses. The Doomben Cup odds firm on the confirmed runners after final acceptances are taken the Wednesday before the race runs on the Saturday.

Horses that ran top three in the AD Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast two weeks earlier feature highly up the Doomben Cup betting markets and Zaaki (2021) was the last horse to do the double.

Until Our Ivanhowe (The BMW 10th in 2016), no Doomben Cup winner had come off a run worse than fifth since King Keitel (6th in NZ) in 2001, so runners that finished top five in the lead-up dominate betting for the Group 1. In 2017 however, Sense Of Occasion improved on a sixth in the Hollindale Stakes for his Doomben Cup upset. The trend continued in 2018 and 2019 with Comin’ Through and Kenenda both unplaced in the Hollindale ahead of Group 1 Doomben Cup triumphs. 

Favourites and equal favourites have a solid recent record in the Doomben Cup including Streama (2014) and Pornichet (2015) who both saluted for the punters, before the big seven length win by the $2.25 favourite Zaaki in 2021. 

2021 Doomben Cup Betting

The season’s latest Doomben Cup 2021 betting odds are available here and markets on the Group 1 weight-for-age Brisbane race are now live below.

Doomben Cup Field

The Doomben Cup field features a top line-up of weight-for-age horses each winter with the largest field in recent years being 20 starters when Bush Padre won in 2003.

Streama (2014) was the last horse to complete the AD Hollindale Stakes – Doomben Cup double during the winter. Photo Credit: Daniel Costello.

The smallest recent Doomben Cup field was nine runners in 2011 when Scenic Shot won; this is the only line-up of under 10 runners in over 30 years.

Horses traditionally come into the Doomben Cup field via a run at the Gold Coast in the Hollindale Stakes a fortnight earlier over 200m shorter; recent winners of both races include Zaaki (2021), Streama (2014), Metal Bender (2010), Above Deck (2006) and Mr Bureaucrat (2002).

From 2006 – 2021 ten Doomben Cup winners came out of the A.D. Hollindale Stakes.

Doomben Cup nominations close on a Tuesday two weeks before the race with the final field of acceptances closing a fortnight later on the Tuesday of race week.

2021 Doomben Cup Field

The official Doomben Cup 2021 final field is announced on Tuesday the 18th of May, 2021 and will be published below once confirmed. 

An outstanding Doomben Cup 2021 field of Group 1 winners and in-form types is gathered for Brisbane this weekend with the Hollindale winner Zaaki heading the markets. 

• Scratchings: #3 Fifty Stars (10); #8 Southern France (12) 

2021 Doomben Cup Nominations

The early Doomben Cup 2021 Nominations close on a Tuesday in early May about a fortnight out from the race.

The 2021 Doomben Cup nominations have been confirmed with 42 early entries including All-Star Mile champion Mugatoo, Sir Dragonet who won last year’s Cox Plate and Godolphin great Avilius. 

Doomben Cup Tips

Looking for proven weight-for-age types that ran top three in the Hollindale Stakes last time out are good Doomben Cup tips. Also looking for runners drawn in barriers 1 – 8 is favourable when doing the betting tips with double digit barriers rarely producing a winner. However, Sense Of Occasion overcame the outside barrier 15 (of 15) for his 2017 Doomben Cup victory. Comin’ Through saluted from 11 of 11 the following year in 2018. 

Sydney visitors also have a dominant Doomben Cup record so watching for the interstate-trained visitors is also a good tip. View our Doomben Cup Preview.

2021 Doomben Cup Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Doomben Cup 2021 betting tips and exotic Group 1 Brisbane race selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the gallopers to back and sack this season.

• To Win: #7 Shared Ambition ($12 at time of publish)

An outstanding edition of the Doomben Cup and a race that is far more open than the markets suggest. Zaaki was good winning the traditional lead-up at the Gold Coast by over two lengths last time out, but going for a bit of value in Waller’s always-honest Shared Ambition. This consistent five-year-old was third in the Hollindale after a previous Group 3 win over 2000m in Sydney and presents fit here. He will relish the step back up in distance and can surprise at a price. 

Doomben Cup Form Guide

The Doomben Cup form guide features all of the essential information for punters including the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the horses in the field. Looking for horses coming out of the Hollindale Stakes when doing the Doomben Cup form is crucial, as is seeking out staying types with winning form at least over 2000m.

Doomben Cup Form Facts

• The AD Hollindale Stakes produced ten of the Doomben Cup winners from 2007 – 2021 most recently with Zaaki (2021) doing the double 
• Only three mares have won the Doomben Cup in the past 30 plus years – Cinque Cento (2007), Streama (2014) and Kenedna (2019)

2021 Doomben Cup Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Doomben Cup 2021 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Doomben Cup Results

Favourites have a credible recent record in the Doomben Cup results, but the longest priced winner in recent years was Cinque Centro ($21 in 2007) and before them Sapio ($61 in 1997).

Notable recent Doomben Cup winners include seven-length winner Zaaki (2021), Pornichet (2015), Streama (2014), Metal Bender (2010) and Above Deck (2006).

Doomben Cup Winners