Kandi’ Aims For Sweet Victory in 10,000

A full field of 16 plus one also eligible line up for the G1 Doomben 10,000 in Queensland, Australia Saturday led by current favorite–the 5-1 Ciaron Maher-trained Srikandi (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}). The chestnut filly displaced one-time market leader Our Boy Malachi (Aus) (Top Echelon {Aus}), trained by Team Hawkes, in the betting after drawing an ideal position in barrier five, while the latter has been hung out to dry in post 12. Third in last year’s G1 Stradbroke H. in June, Srikandi landed the G2 Victory S. at the Gold Cost Apr. 25, but enters the Doomben 10,000 on the back of an eighth-place performance when slowly away in the 1200-meter G1 BTC Cup, with Our Boy Malachi (Aus) third and Bring Me the Maid (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) fourth at this venue May 9. “She’s come through the BTC Cup ok, she just had an easy week and had a strong gallop yesterday and she was nice and bright today,” Ciaron Maher told www.anzbloodstocknews.com. “She worked over 1000 meters and came up a strong 600 and her times were good. Hopefully she can get away cleanly and get back to her best form.” Our Boy Malachi ended 2014 with a win in the Razor Sharp S. this past December prior to a three-month spell and returned to take the G3 Hall Mark S. at Randwick Apr. 18 over this distance one start before the BTC Cup. “Statistics don’t win big races, barriers do,” said co-trainer Michael Hawkes to www.anzbloodstocknews.com. “The horse is flying. It’s just unfortunate he’s drawn badly [but] he’s quite adaptable and doesn’t have to lead. His last run when third in the BTC Cup was quite good but he had to do too much work in the first 400 meters. If you swap barriers with the winner it’s a different result.” Peter Moody’s G1 Golden Slipper third and Group 2 heroine Bring Me the Maid will try to buck history and become the first 3-year-old filly to win since Sea Siren (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in 2012, who was the first such winner in 80 years. She faces a tall task, however, despite carrying the lightest impost of 121 pounds, leaving from stall 16. Any moisture Doomben receives in advance of the race will only increase her chances. Runner-up in this race in 2014, Temple of Boom (Aus) (Piccolo {GB}) could also factor and was most recently seventh in the BTC Cup against several of these.