G1 opportunity for Tally in Doomben Cup

The G1 Doomben Cup might be a race at the limit of Tally’s abilities, but his trainer James Cummings has learned to never underestimate a horse who generally turns in a special effort every preparation.

Tally heads a Godolphin team on Saturday, 18 May, that includes the well-connected mare Epidemic and the promising horse Isaurian in Listed contests in Brisbane, the consistent filly Rock Dove in the G3 South Australian Fillies Classic in Adelaide and Morton’s Fork in the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup at Rosehill in Sydney.

While he is a winner at G3 and G2-level, Tally (Tim Clark) has found G1 a step too far in a career that includes nine victories, a G1 Australian Derby placing at three and a fine third behind the multiple G1 winners Hartnell and Jameka in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at four.

“He probably needs to improve under the weight-for-age conditions at 2,000m here, but he’s shown in the past that he can produce a special run,” Cummings said.

“He’s warming into his preparation and there are some suitable staying targets over the next few weeks in which he can be competitive.”

“He’s a solid middle-distance horse and he tends to step up at some stage in every preparation.”

Tally will be supported at Doomben by Epidemic (Larry Cassidy), who is looking to show a return to form, in the Listed Bright Shadow Stakes and Isaurian (James McDonald) who resumes in the Listed Chief de Beers Stakes.

Epidemic is a sister to the multiple G1 winner and Darley stallion Impending and has shown in her five wins to date that she possesses plenty of quality in her own right.

This time last year she won three on end in Queensland, including the Listed Coughlan Stakes at the Sunshine Coast.

While she hasn’t reproduced that form this time in, Cummings believes improvement may not be far away.

“I like the way she’s galloping in her preliminaries this campaign and she’s muscling up like she’s ready to offer something,” he said.

“A placing here would give me a bit of confidence that she’s not far away.”

Isaurian comes to Saturday’s race off a three-month break and with stable confidence high.

“He looks capable of delivering a killer punch first-up on the way he’s performed in his preliminaries,” Cummings said.

At Morphettville, Rock Dove (Jamie Kah) has the opportunity to add some more black-type to her record in a race that appears to suit her admirably.

“She’s had the grounding to perform well in a race like this,” Cummings said.

“This is only her second preparation and she’s demonstrated how tough she is.”

 The well-travelled Morton’s Fork gets his chance to show some form in the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup at Rosehill.