A change of plans by trainer Darren Weir will see Voodoo Lad miss taking his place in the Group 1 $700,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
A disappointed weight for age campaign over the Sydney Autumn Carnival has convinced Weir that Voodoo Lad would be better suited under the handicap conditions of the Group 1 $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
“He likes it wet but couldn’t fire. He mightn’t be a weight-for-age galloper so we’ll concentrate on the Stradbroke Handicap instead,” Weir told the Herald Sun.
Voodoo Lad resumed from a spell for a great first up effort to run second to Redkirk Warrior in the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 11.
Weir then headed to Sydney with the five year old who had good wet weather form but failed to run a place from two runs, both on heavy tracks.
Voodoo Las was beaten three and three quarter lengths when fifth to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 1 before running seventh to Tivaci in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 15.
Weir has selected the Group 3 $125,000 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on May 20 as a nice lead up race for Voodoo Lad heading towards the Stradbroke Handicap.
Voodoo Lad’s best of his nine wins was in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield during the 2016 Melbourne Spring Carnival which followed his Group 1 placing when second to Bon Aurum in the $500,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
With Voodoo Lad out of the Doomben 10,000 Weir will be left with two long shot runners, Sooboog at $26 and El Divino at $41.
Sooboog is fitter for two Autumn runs and is coming off a last start sixth to Viddora in the Group 3 $120,000 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on April 22 while El Divino ran fourth at the same meeting in the Listed $100,000 Redelva Stakes (1100m).
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Russian Revolution is the early favourite for the Doomben 10,000 at $3.30 with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of last year’s winner Music Magnate and Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop both at $7.
Early market order for the Doomben 10000 at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.30 Russian Revolution, $7 Music Magnate, $7 Fell Swoop, $8 Redzel, $11 Start Wondering, $13 Takedown, $15 Counterattack, Rebel Dane, $17 Derryn, $21 In Her Time, $26 Clearly Innocent, Sooboog, $34 or better the rest.