Australia: Benedetta needs a cleaner trip in Doomben 10,000 Stakes

The outcome of the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on April 19 might have been different if Benedetta had a clean run through the stretch.

Traffic issues cost Benedetta dearly, leading to a fifth-place finish by 2 3/4 lengths in the $955,500 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs.

An equally lucrative prize at a shorter distance may work for Benedetta in Friday evening’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000 Stakes at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane. The six-furlong race has a purse of $960,000 and drew a competitive field of 14.

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As of early betting on Thursday, Benedetta was the 4-1 second choice behind 7-2 Sunshine in Paris and slightly in front of 9-2 Overpass and 7-1 Schwarz.

A 5-year-old Australian-bred mare, Benedetta is winless in her last five starts, since the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at six furlongs in Adelaide last May. A closer, she was second to Schwarz in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at six furlongs at Moonee Valley on March 22, rallying from sixth of nine despite that track’s notoriously short stretch run of approximately 190 yards.

Trained by Jason Warren, Benedetta has won 8 of 20 starts in her career, including 4 of 9 at six furlongs.

Sunshine in Paris, also a 5-year-old mare, was third in the All Aged Stakes after racing in traffic briefly in early stretch. Sunshine in Paris was beaten slightly more than 1 1/4 lengths. A winner of 6 of 16 starts, Sunshine in Paris will be ridden by James McDonald, a booking certain to draw support. McDonald was aboard for Sunshine in Paris’s last win, in the Group 1 Champions Sprint at six furlongs at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne last November. He replaces Chad Schofield, who is riding at Scone Racecourse on Friday evening.

Overpass, second in the 2023 Doomben 10,000, will be part of the pace in Saturday’s race. A winner of 10 of 31 starts, Overpass finished fifth by a length in the $3.2 million Quokka Stakes at six furlongs at Ascot Racecourse in Perth as the even-money favorite on April 26, leading to the final furlong.

The Quokka Stakes is the richest race in Western Australia.

The Doomben 10,000 is the eighth race on a nine-race program that begins at 9:48 p.m. Eastern or 6:48 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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