With the 2023 Queensland Racing Carnival on our doorstep, racing in the Sunshine State is heating up.
Three Listed races, the Princess Stakes, Tails Stakes and the Mick Dittman Plate, highlight Saturday’s nine-race Princess Stakes Day card at Doomben.
We’ve taken a close look at each race and provided our best bets below!
Race 1 - 11:33am AEST
QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200 METRES)
Oceans Of Energy (4) is looking to remain undefeated following two very good wins. The Matt Dunn-trained filly won impressively by 3.59 lengths on debut at Grafton to earn a start in a Saturday city race.
The daughter of Dundeel produced a strong finish to win by 0.38 of a length over this course and distance.
Ideally, she is looking for further but she’s super fit and there looks to be good speed in the race which should see her charging to the line.
1 Unit – Oceans Of Energy (4)
Race 2 - 12:08pm AEST
BENCHMARK 78 Handicap (2200 METRES)
Applications (4) will find this easier than his two starts this preparation where he has finished third on both occasions.
Last start the Glenn Thornton-trained five-year-old led over 1640m here before being run down in the final 50m by Opacity and Swanston.
It’s a big distance jump to 2200m but he’ll be fitter third-up and does look to get an uncontested lead. If Boris Thornton can control the tempo then he may be able to steal the win.
1 Unit Each Way – Applications (4)
Race 3 - 12:43pm AEST
OPEN Handicap (1615 METRES)
Alburq (5) raced in terrific form last preparation and appears to have come back in just as good shape.
The Brian Smith-trained son of Rubick finished strongly first-up from a nine-week break to place second by just a head over 1350m here.
He’s raced well second-up before and looks ready for the mile. Maps to get a nice run from barrier 4.
1 Unit – Alburq (5)
Race 4 - 1:18pm AEST
BENCHMARK 72 Handicap (1200 METRES)
Canadian Dancer (2) resumes here following a 16-week spell. The O’Dea Hoysted-trained mare will be better over further but can fire fresh.
The daughter of Vancouver has a touch of class and won the Listed Princess Stakes on this day last year. She’s raced well fresh in the past which includes a win first-up two preparations ago and a very good fifth when having her first run back in the Listed Tatts Classic last preparation.
There looks to be good speed in the race which suits her racing style. Jaden Lloyd, who claims 1.5kg, can settle just off them before launching in the straight.
2 Units – Canadian Dancer (2)
Race 5 - 1:53pm AEST
BENCHMARK 90 Handicap (1110 METRES)
Sweet Margot May (12) made a successful return to racing in the Military Rose Plate over 1000m here.
The Rob Heathcote-trained four-year-old savaged the line to run away for a length victory over classy mare Isotope. The win took her record to six wins from ten starts and showed that the daughter of I Am Invincible has a touch of class.
She’ll strip fitter second-up and will appreciate the slight rise in distance. There looks to be plenty of early speed which will help her cause.
2 Units – Sweet Margot May (12)
Race 6 - 2:32pm AEST
BENCHMARK 90 Handicap (1350 METRES)
Mississippi Prince (11) finished last preparation with four wins in a row and picked up where he left off with a tough win over this course and distance when resuming two weeks ago.
Mark Du Plessis worked to find the front from barrier 10 in the 1350m assessment. The Brent Gray-trained gelding refused to lie down when challenged in the straight to hold off the late challenge of Alburq.
He’ll strip fitter second-up and is undefeated in three starts over this trip. Du Plessis will go forward and his mount will give plenty of cheek as he always does.
1 Unit Each Way – Mississippi Prince (11)
Race 7 - 3:12pm AEST
LISTED PRINCESS STAKES (1615 METRES)
Wolverine (1) is on the quick back-up after narrowly being beaten last Saturday in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes over 1400m at Eagle Farm.
The Kris Lees-trained Tivaci filly found the line well but The Vowels finished better and she had to settle for a head second.
She’ll appreciate getting out to 1600m and is thrown in at the weights under the race conditions. Drawing a barrier that’s on Nudgee Road is far from ideal but she’s a class act and has raced well against better opposition than this.
2 Units – Wolverine (1)
Race 8 - 3:48pm AEST
LISTED TAILS STAKES (1615 METRES)
Tumbler Ridge (7) will be at peak fitness and ready to fire fourth-up.
The O’Dea Hoysted-trained five-year-old raced outside the lead last start over 1350m here but couldn’t hold off the challenge of Irish Songs when finishing second by 1.75 lengths.
He’ll appreciate the rise to 1615m now and is undefeated in two starts over the course and distance. Both of those wins came when he had his fourth run back in the preparation. Boris Thornton should be able to settle in a prominent position.
2 Units – Tumbler Ridge (7)
Race 9 - 4:28pm AEST
LISTED MICK DITTMAN PLATE (1110 METRES)
Lady Laguna (8) brings excellent Sydney Autumn Carnival form to Brisbane.
Two starts back she gave a great sight in front in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes at Randwick but was run down late and had to settle for third. Last start in the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint she settled back after drawing wide but ran on strongly to finish just under a length behind the talented Aft Cabin in third.
Unlike many of the main hopes in this race, she draws beautifully in barrier 2. Damien Thornton will have options from there based on the tempo.
1 Unit Each Way – Lady Laguna (8)