Darley-owned Scone Cup winning mare Cameo is the headline nominee for the Lord Mayor’s Cup 2014 running at Doomben this weekend.
The John O’Shea-trained Shamardal four-year-old improved on some disappointing form for previous trainer Peter Snowden to win the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) in an upset as a 20-1 outsider last Friday.
She’s now set to back-up this Saturday on Doomben 10,000 Day in the $125,000 Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1615m) for her maiden Queensland run.
Cameo broke a lengthy drought with her Scone Cup success not having won a race prior to that since March last year, and O’Shea is hoping she can keep the momentum going this weekend in her swansong season.
She is set for a career in the breeding barn as confirmed by Darley general manager Henry Plumptre last week.
“Cameo will be going to stud,” he told AAP.
The stable has also nominated for another in-form mare, Tiger Hill four-year-old Wistful.
She has finished runner-up in her two most recent runs, the most recent of which was when beaten under a length by subsequent Doomben Cup second placed Leebaz in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup (1600m) on May 3.
Wistful, who unlike Cameo is set to race on beyond the autumn – winter season, missed the Haweksbury Cup due to an injury getting scratched at the track.
“It is frustrating when a horse suffers an injury like Wistful,” Plumptre said on Scone Cup Day.
“These races are picked out months before and Peter [Snowden] did a wonderful job building them up and giving them the foundation they needed.”
Another top Scone Cup performer in the Lord Mayor’s Cup mix is then the Grant Allard-trained Gosford galloper Loaded.
The Flying Nicko six-year-old was third to Cameo in the mile showdown and will be out to turn the tables here.
Also on a short back-up meanwhile could be the Gerald Ryan-trained Angel Of Mercy.
Winner of the Listed Members’ Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm in April the Hussonet mare raced last weekend at Doomben when five lengths away eighth to now four-time Group 1 winner Streama.
Other notable hopes nominated for the Lord Mayor’s Cup this year then include Hollindale Stakes sixth placed Grey Assignment, Rob Heathcote’s last start Doomben winner over 1350m Magic In Motion and Adelaide raider Starkiato coming off a second in the Group 3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m) back home at the start of the month.
Check out the full Lord Mayor’s Cup 2014 nominations below.
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2014 Lord Mayor’s Cup Nominations
Doomben Racecourse – 24/05/2014
# | Horse | Trainer |
---|---|---|
1 | ANGEL OF MERCY | Gerald Ryan |
2 | ANGOLA | Pat Carey |
3 | BRAYROAN (NZ) | Barry A Mitchell |
4 | CAMEO | John O’Shea |
5 | CARMORA | Desleigh Forster |
6 | FLYING HOME | Barry Baldwin |
7 | GREY ASSIGNMENT | Brian Smith |
8 | HISTORIAN (NZ) | Gary Alton |
9 | LOADED | Grant Allard |
10 | MAGIC IN MOTION | Robert Heathcote |
11 | ROLLOUT THE CARPET | Jeff McVean & Emma-Lee Browne |
12 | STARKIATO | Lloyd Kennewell |
13 | WISTFUL | John O’Shea |