Forster set to break Doomben Cup drought

Trainer Desleigh Forster is confident in-form jockey Jim Byrne can to help her break a 34-year drought for Brisbane horses in the Group One Doomben Cup.

No Brisbane horse has won the Cup since 1983 when Lord Seaman, who was trained by Doomben-based Don Cleal, took the race.

Forster has Cylinder Beach in Saturday’s Doomben Cup (2020m) and will stick with Byrne who rode Redzel to victory in the Doomben 10,000, the first Group One race of the Brisbane carnival.

Byrne is hoping to join Kerrin McEvoy (2016) and Graham Cook (1975) as the only jockeys to ride the Doomben Group One double in the past 50 years.

Cylinder Beach easily won the Toowoomba Cup two runs back and was one of several unlucky horses when seventh behind It’s Somewhat in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes last Saturday week.

“I thought it was a very good run in the Hollindale as he was beaten three lengths. There were a lot of hard luck stories but I felt we should have also finished a lot closer,” Forster said.

“The Hollindale is usually a pretty good guide to the Doomben Cup so it will be very interesting to see how things stack up this year.”

“Brisbane has a real shortage of genuine Group One horses to contest our big races. But I think Cylinder Beach is one of them.”

Byrne rode Cylinder Beach in trackwork on Saturday morning and was pleased with his effort.

Hollindale Stakes winner It’s Somewhat, also the winner of the Doncaster Mile, is the equal 4.40 favourite for the Doomben Cup alongside Articus who is one of several horses premier Melbourne trainer Darren Weir is trying to get on flights to Brisbane.

Weir does not want to send his horses by float because Sooboog and El Divino, who were scheduled to run in the 10,000, had to be scratched after coming down with travel sickness on the long road trip.