Leading Australian Derby contender Doctor Doom and Doncaster Mile second favourite Manawanui will ramp up their campaigns in Saturday’s Hobartville Stakes.
The two both resumed in the Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) where Hot Snitzel caused an upset, relegating favourite Manawanui to second while Doctor Doom finished a solid fifth.
Doctor Doom’s trainer Guy Walter was pleased with the gelding’s first-up performance and the step up to 1400 metres will help the three-year-old who went from maiden performer to winner of the Group One Spring Champion Stakes in his first preparation.
“It’s probably still too short for him but he is going well,” Walter said.
A burly Manawanui also came out of his race well but the pair will once again have to contend with Hot Snitzel who trainer Gerald Ryan believes has the speed to again prevail.
“He felt the last run for a couple of days but he got over it quickly,” Ryan said.
“He is a horse who will be kept to shorter distances.
“Options for him include the Galaxy over 1100 metres then going to Queensland for the three-year-old races like the Guineas up there.
“They are all set weights and that will help.”
Saturday’s Rosehill winner Laser Hawk stamped himself as a Derby contender and will meet Manawanui and Doctor Doom in the Randwick Guineas on March 17 as will runner-up Said Com.
But trainer Bede Murray has decided Spring Champion runner-up Darci Be Good will not challenge them or Royal Sovereign third placegetter Moment Of Change in either the Hobartville or the Randwick Guineas.
“I don’t see any point in chasing them round over 1400 metres and he will run in the Benchmark 90 on Saturday,” he said.
“I don’t see any point in chasing horses who are running him off his feet.
“He needs the miles in his legs heading the Derby and I don’t want to meet those horses again until he gets to 2000 metres.”
That will be on March 31 in the Group One Rosehill Guineas, two weeks before the Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
Star Melbourne filly Atlantic Jewel is favourite for the Doncaster (1600m) a week later but has yet to begin her autumn campaign after injury kept her out of the VRC Oaks.
