Last start Doomben winner Hallelujah Boy will take over from Gem Song as trainer Kris Lees’ major hope in Saturday’s Group 2 $500,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.

Plein Ciel, above, is the early favourite for the A.D. Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Gem Song was among the twenty-three nominations for the weight for age A.D. Hollindale Stakes but Lees is now likely to send Gem Song straight into the Group 1 $700,000 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 18.

“Gem Song won’t run this weekend in the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast. Doomben Cup likely to be the final run of his prep,” Kris Lees stable news said.

Gem Song ran up to his pre-race hype with a comfortable two and a quarter lengths win as the odds on favourite in the Group 3 $140,000 Fujitsu General Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

Japanese import Hallelujah Boy produced his best performance since arriving in Australia in 2017 with a last start win in the Listed Aquis Tails Stakes (1615m) at Doomben on April 20.

Early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the A.D. Hollindale Stakes has Hallelujah Boy on the fourth line of betting at $9 behind Plein Ciel at $4.40, Kenedna at $4.80 and Youngstar at $5.

The Anthony Freedman trained Plein Ciel was back in the winner’s stall with his last start victory in the Group 3 $160,000 Le Pine Funerals Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on April 20 while Youngstar is the highest rated in the betting of trainer Chris Waller’s six A.D. Hollindale Stakes nominations.

Early betting for the 2019 A.D. Hollindale Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.40 Plein Ciel, $4.80 Kenedna, $4.80 Youngstar, $9 Hallelujah Boy, $10 Shillelagh, $13 Cool Chap, Fierce Impact, Life Less Ordinary, Order Again, $15 Fit For Purpose, $17 Miss Siska, $26 Age Of Fire, Mister Sea Wolf, Our Libretto, $31 Consensus, Morton’s Fork, My Nordic Hero, $41 Luvaluva, Mask Of Time, Red Alto, $51 Savvy Coup, Tally.