Trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith is banking on a good track to give Famous Seamus his chance of winning back to back Group 1s in the $650,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith leading back Famous Seamus and Ryan Wiggins after winning the BTC Cup. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Famous Seamus produced one of the Brisbane Winter Carnivals’ biggest upsets when he won the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 10 as the $21 rank outsider on a good track.

Mayfield-Smith said that the Elusive City gelding needs a dry surface to produce his best and if he gets the right conditions this week will be hard to beat again.

“If he gets a dry track he will be the one they have to beat,” Mayfield –Smith told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Mayfield-Smith will walk the Doomben track to check the condition of the surface after two week’s of Group 1 racing and hopefully he will be happy with what he sees.

“I’ll walk the track early in the week just to see how chopped up it is,” Mayfield-Smith said.

The Hawkesbury trainer has stuck with Ryan Wiggins after the Brisbane jockey brought Famous Seamus with a well-timed run to beat Spirit Of Boom, Buffering and Temple Boom in the BTC Cup.

Wiggins was aboard Famous Seamus when fifth to Temple Of Boom in the Group 2 $175,000 Greenslopes Private Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on April 26 and retained the ride to win the BTC Cup when regular rider Tim Clark was suspended for careless riding.

“Ryan rode him in (the Victory Stakes) his first run up here on the understanding that Tim would be on him in the group 1,” Mayfield-Smith said.

“Then Tim got suspended so Ryan stayed on and won the Group 1 on him. Tim had been a big part of the team but I talked with the owners and we wanted to have the same rider on him in the mornings as the race.”

Famous Seamus has drawn well at barrier three in the Doomben 10,000 and will be taking on Spirit Of Boom  (barrier 2), Buffering (barrier 8) and Temple Of Boom (barrier 4) again on Saturday.

The Gary Portelli trained Rebel Dane, Knoydart from the John O’Shea stable and Gai Waterhouse’s Driefontein are the new gallopers in town this week to add more depth to the weight for age sprint.

Rebel Dane has drawn poorly at ten and Portelli is hoping the Doomben track doesn’t turn into another front runners track like it did last week when the rail was in the two metre position.

This week the rail will be moved out a further two metres to be in the four metre position which will give jockey Glen Boss plenty to think about how his is going to position Rebel Dane throughout the run.

Rebel Dane is having his first run since finishing fifth to Hana’s Goal in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 26.

Knoydart (barrier 6) also hasn’t raced since April 26 when second to Hot Snitzel in the Group 3 $150,000 Ticketek Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and will also come into the Doomben 10,000 a fresh horse.

The Doomben track is currently rated a Dead 4 with the Bureau Of Meteorology forecasting showers for the Brisbane area for the remainder of the week.

Buffering has been installed the $3.90 for the Doomben 10,000 with Ladbrokes.com.au just ahead of Rebel Dane at $4.40 and Spirit Of Boom at $4.50.

Famous Seamus is the next in the betting at $7.50 with Knoydart at $10 and Temple Of Boom at $12.