Racing is heating up in the ‘Sunshine State’ this Saturday at Doomben with plenty of quality racing to look forward to.

Our full 2022 Doomben Cup Day Preview can be found below.

Race 1 - 11:43am AEDT

Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m)

The Michael Costa trained The Catch has proven himself as a talented galloper, winning his last two by a combined 8.6 lengths at the Gold Cast and Ipswich.

Both of those wins have been on a rain effected track and although this is another step up in class, he takes on a fairly weak field.

4 Units The Catch

Race 2 - 12:18pm AEDT

Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m)

Mass Destruction was a long way back when turning upon resumption in a benchmark 90 at Doomben and he didn’t have it all his own way upon straightening.

The son of Spirit Of Boom produced some very quick closing sectionals in the race on the heavy track to finish within four lengths of the winner Centrefire and the step up in distance suits second up.

He has been placed in 15 of his 20 career starts and if James McDonald can produce a good ride from the awkward draw, he will be right in this contest.

2 Units Mass Destruction

Race 3 - 12:53pm AEDT

Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m)

The Chris Waller trained Zougotcha won his maiden at Canterbury on debut and followed that p with a second at Randwick last time out.

He ran into a pretty smart one that day in Bandi’s Boy but he raced without cover throughout the run and was closing late in the piece.

Having drawn well and with James McDonald steering, he is the one to beat.

4 Units Zougotcha

Race 4 - 1:28pm AEDT

Listed

Niedorp is first up since winning on the Sunshine Coast in January where she beat the smart filly Startantes over 1000m.

Her record is good at Doomben having won five of nine and been unplaced just once, she gets in well at the weights for this contest.

A recent trial win suggests she is record to go first up, however the only concerns are two unplaced runs on the heavy track from as many starts.

1 Unit E/W Niedorp

Race 5 - 1:52pm AEDT

Group 3 Pam O'Neill Stakes (1600m)

Yamazaki has just the five wins to her name from 43 career starts but two of those have been here at Doomben.

She wasn’t beaten far in The Gong back in November and she had an interrupted run in the straight first up in the Silk Stocking where she found the line nicely.

Dzenifer won that race and has proven a progressive type of mare who continues to step up to the plate when rising in class.

She’s proven at this track, distance and on the heavy surface and represents good each way value.

2 Units Yamazaki

1 Unit E/W Dzenifer

Race 6 - 2:38pm AEDT

Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m)

Emerald Kingdom has been a beauty for Robert Heathcote and he has a really good winning strike rate of 12 wins from 20 career race starts.

The seven year old gelding weaved a passage through the field to win The Archer in Rockhampton last start and although he is unproven on the heavy track, he has won four of eight at Doomben ahead of this season’s BRC Sprint.

1 Unit E/W Emerald Kingdom

Race 7 - 3:18pm AEDT

Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m)

This is not a vintage edition of the Group 1 Doomben Cup and the likely answer is because Zaaki has scared his rivals away with his dominance.

The three time Group 1 winner was too good in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes on the Gold Coast and although he is probably not at his best on the bottomless heavy track, he is still too classy for this field.

Polly Grey got to within a length of him on the Gold Coast and was closing quickly in the concluding stages and while Zaaki was entitled to knock up late having done a lot of the work early, I don’t want to be backing him at $1.50 on a Doomben track that struggles with this much rain.

1 Unit E/W Polly Grey

Race 8 - 3:58pm AEDT

Group 2 The Roses (2000m)

Stalking broke her maiden duck at Kemblga Grange two back when scoring by 3.8 lengths on the heavy 10 over 1500m.

James Orman ducked back to the inside upon straightening in the Gold Coast Bracelet and the filly picked up and chased well, finishing 2.4 lengths behind Dynasties and Gypsy Goddess who head QLD Oaks betting.

Chilko Lake has won her last two in a row in NSW by a combined 3.7 lengths on heavy tracks and can progress to a new level here in The Roses.

She’s drawn perfectly in barrier two and represents good each way value at $13.

1 Unit E/W Stalking

1/2 Unit E/W Chilko Lake

Race 9 - 4:34pm AEDT

3YO Handicap (1110m)

Zavaboom is a classy and lightly raced three year old gelding racing consistently.

The Tony Gollan trained son of Spirit Of Boom finished within two lengths of the very smart Minsk Moment at Eagle Farm three weeks ago and that form is good enough to be really competitive here.

He’s drawn well, James McDonald steers and the blinkers go on for the first time.

2 Units Zavaboom