Imported stayer My Kingdom Of Fife will join elite company alongside Rough Habit and Might And Power if he can maintain his unbeaten southern hemisphere record in the Doomben Cup.
Since the race was transferred to weight-for-age in 1990, 14 Doomben Cup winners have won either the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick or the Group Two Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast during their lead-ups.
Of those, only two, Might And Power (1998) and Rough Habit (1992) have won both before claiming the Doomben Cup, a feat My Kingdom Of Fife is attempting to equal on Saturday.
The Hollindale Stakes has the better record of the two weight-for-age races with nine winners going on to claim the Doomben Cup (2020m) in the same year.
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes has produced five Doomben Cup winners, Rough Habit (1992), Durbridge (1994), Might And Power (1998), Intergaze (1999) and Sarrera in 2008.
The successful Hollindale Stakes winners were Rough Habit (1991-92), Durbridge (1994), Danewin (1995), Might And Power (1998), Mr Bureaucrat (2002), Bush Padre (2003), Above Deck (2006) and last year’s winner Metal Bender.
The Doomben Cup is down to eight runners after a knee injury forced the withdrawal of the Anthony Cummings-trained Zavite who has gone to the spelling paddock.
Trainer Chris Waller may have the historical bases covered for the Doomben Cup with My Kingdom Of Fife but he isn’t one to get carried away with statistics.
“You need good horses to win the Queen Elizabeth and the Hollindale Stakes,” Waller said.
“Good horses don’t fluke winning those races.”
Waller will be double handed in the Doomben Cup with Triple Honour out to improve on last year’s third to stablemate Metal Bender.
Although My Kingdom Of Fife’s three Australian wins have been on rain-affected tracks, Waller wants a firm track on Saturday.
While rival trainer Mike Moroney and jockey Hugh Bowman are confident Hollindale Stakes runner-up Glass Harmonium can turn the tables on My Kingdom Of Fife, Waller has issued a warning.
“I thought My Kingdom Of Fife was a bit above himself when he won the Hollindale last run,” Waller said.
“I might have been a little too soft on him after he won the Queen Elizabeth and he’s improved quite a bit since the Hollindale.”
Waller is taking one race at a time but hopes My Kingdom Of Fife can measure up as a spring carnival contender in Melbourne.
“He could be a leading hope in the Caulfield Cup and hopefully he’ll get that far,” he said.
While bookmakers have the Doomben Cup as primarily a two-horse race between My Kingdom of Fife and Glass Harmonium, Waller rates last year’s AJC Australian Derby winner Shoot Out as the main threat.
“Shoot Out is a serious Group One horse and he’s our danger,” Waller said.
“I liked his Hollindale Stakes run and he’ll go a lot better on firmer ground.”
AAP TURF
