Imported stayer My Kingdom Of Fife’s odds of maintaining his unbeaten Australian record have shortened with rival Heart Of Dreams ruled out of the Doomben Cup.
Heart Of Dreams’ trainer Mick Price decided to send the gelding to the spelling paddock to prepare for a spring carnival assault.
“He’s fine but I just felt he had lightened off too much following the Hollindale Stakes,” Price said.
“There’s too much improvement in some of the others in the Doomben Cup and not enough in my bloke.
“The quicker I can spell him, the quicker I’ll get him back for the spring and races like the (Group One) Underwood Stakes.”
Heart Of Dreams finished fourth to the Chris Waller-trained My Kingdom Of Fife in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 7.
My Kingdom Of Fife, who has won all three Australian starts since coming from England, worked impressively on the Gold Coast course proper on Tuesday and is $4 favourite for Saturday’s Doomben Cup (2020m).
Fellow import, the Mike Moroney-trained Glass Harmonium, is at $4.20 with last year’s Australian Derby winner Shoot Out on the third line at $6.
South Australian Derby winner Shadows In The Sun will arrive in Queensland on Wednesday but is not a certain starter in the Doomben Cup.
Trainer Anthony Cummings is concerned about weather reports for showers in Brisbane this week and may take another path to the gelding’s main mission, in the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
“I’ve got half a mind to wait until the following week in the Grand Prix,” Cummings said.
“He’ll be up there for the Derby and possibly the Brisbane Cup but he’s only a 50-50 chance of running in the Doomben Cup.
“I put him in the Doomben Cup as a way to get to the Queensland Derby but I’m a bit worried about the weather. He needs a dry track.”
Cummings will still be represented in the Doomben Cup with Zavite, a Chris Munce mount.
Zavite was ridden by Glen Boss to win the Ranvet Stakes before finishing out of the prize money behind Cedarberg in the BMW and My Kingdom Of Fife in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes won by My Kingdom Of Fife.
Tim Clark has been booked for Shadows In The Sun if the three-year-old starts in the Doomben Cup.
Shadows In The Sun campaigned in Brisbane last winter but was outgunned behind the Waller-trained Pressday when 10th in the Group Two Sires’ Produce Stakes and fourth in the Group On T J Smith at Eagle Farm.
AAP TURF
