Toowoomba sprinter Upstart Pride might be one of the longshots of the field but trainer Michael Nolan is not giving up hope on the five year old causing an upset in the Group 1 $700,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10,000 (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Upstart Pride, above, is one of the roughies for the Doomben 10,000 at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Doomben 10,000 is dropping back in distance from 1350m this year and Nolan said that the new distance of 1200m would suit Upstart Pride perfectly.
“It was this time last year when he ran 1.8.6 in winning a race at Doomben over 1200 metres,” Nolan told AAP.
“I admit we are having a throw at the stumps here but it is hard to line up other winning times for the Doomben 10,000 because it has been previously run at 1350 metres.
“But there isn’t a lot around for him if we go to the lesser stakes races in the winter. He likes the 1200 at Doomben.”
Upstart Pride is coming off a last start fifth to dead heaters Col ‘N’ Lil and Jumbo Prince under 58.5kg in the Listed $150,000 Weetwood Handicap (1200m) at Toowoomba on April 8 and bookmakers at Ladbrokes.com.au have the grey gelding marked at $51 for the Doomben 10,000.
“He had 58 kilos in the Weetwood Handicap last start and he ran a great race,” Nolan said.
“It was a good run but obviously this is a lot harder.”
“Still he deserves a chance.”
Upstart Pride is the winner of nine of his thirty-one starts and three of his last five, his latest two starts back beating Jopa in the Listed $100,000 Goldmarket (1200m) at the Gold Coast on March 18.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained three year old Russian Revolution heads the market order for the Doomben 10,000 at $3.30 ahead of last year’s winner Music Magnate at $7 and Canberra Sprinter Fell Swoop at $7.50.
Early market order for the Doomben 10000 at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.30 Russian Revolution, $7 Music Magnate, $7.50 Fell Swoop, $8 Redzel, $11 Start Wondering, Voodoo Lad, $13 Takedown, $15 Counterattack, Rebel Dane, $17 Derryn, $21 In Her Time, $26 Clearly Innocent, $34 or better the rest.
