First emergency Sixties Groove is ready for the big dance after gaining a late call up into the field for the Group 1 $700,000 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.
First emergency, Sixties Groove, above, has gained a start in the 2019 Doomben Cup at Doomben. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Sixties Groove gained a start in the final sixteen horse Doomben Cup after his Kris Lees trained stablemate Hallelujah Boy was ruled out because of a hoof injury and Australian Bloodtsock’s Luke Murrell said that the English import was in with a great chance.
“I think Sixties Groove is a legitimate Group 1 horse if we can get him fit, sound and healthy, which he seems to be at the moment,” Murrell told The Courier-Mail.
“He’s a horse with a huge turn of foot, but he’s one of those ones you’ve got to run him up bums until the 300m and then let him out. If he gets exposed, he just whacks away like he did at Hawkesbury.
“I think it’s a very even race but it doesn’t have the standout horse of previous years and I think that gives them a chance.”
Sixties Groove’s best winning effort since arriving in Australia was a victory in the $150,000 Moe Cup during the 2018 Spring Carnival.
The six year old is going into the Doomben Cup with only one run under his belt, a third to Doomben Cup rival Archedemus in the Group 3 $200,000 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (160m) at Hawkesbury on April 27.
Sixties Groove is a firmer in the Doomben Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au and is marked at $12 after $17 was on offer in early betting and Australian Bloodstock will also team up with Lees with Big Duke who is listed as a $34 chance.
Lees will also saddle up the well fancied Gem Song who is the $5.50 second favourite behind the Chris Waller trained Youngstar who heads the market order at $4.80.
Youngstar is one of five Waller trained runners in the Doomben Cup and is coming off a last start fifth behind her two stablemates Life Less Ordinary and Mister Sea Wolf in the Group 2 $500,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 4.
Life Less Ordinary is well in the betting for the Doomben Cup at $7.50 alongside of the Waller trained Shillelagh with Mister Sea Wolf marked at $11 while Savvy Coup is one of the outsiders of the field at $51.
