Donald Racing Tips for November 15 – Somewhere to secure the Donald Cup

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which features the Donald Cup.

Lady Of Lubeck can go close to breaking through in the opener at Donald. The four-year-old mare is yet to place in three career starts but resumed with a promising effort over 1200m at Mornington earlier this month. She began awkwardly and lost ground at the start, settling back in a slowly run affair before circling the field around the home turn and closing off with the fastest final 200m to finish fifth behind Big Kapow. The Simon Zahra-trained daughter of Hanseatic gave the impression she would appreciate a rise in distance, and the step up to 1350m looks ideal. She draws well in barrier six and, provided she can begin cleanly and settle a little closer to the speed, looks a strong chance of breaking through.

The Donald Cup comes up in Race 6, and Somewhere looks a strong chance in the feature. The five-year-old has been consistent without winning this preparation, finishing in the first four in all six starts and placing on four occasions. He was excellent when third behind Changing Colours in a strongly run Benchmark 84 at Sandown two starts ago, with that galloper subsequently winning the Group 2 Stocks Stakes before narrowly missing out in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap. Somewhere has since finished fourth behind Sulek over 1500m at Geelong, settling handy in a race that developed into a sprint home. The form from that contest has also held up exceptionally well, with the winner subsequently claiming the Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final at Flemington and the third placegetter taking out the Inglis Bracelet, again at Flemington. Those are strong form references for a Donald Cup. The wide barrier is a concern, and Somewhere will need at least an even tempo, but there looks to be enough speed engaged with Quietness, El Rocco, Van Roy and several others likely to push forward. The Archie Alexander-trained galloper will be ridden by Harry Coffey, who is no stranger to success in country cups, and should be right in the finish.

Stepify looks a strong winning chance in Race 7. The Paul Preusker-trained filly has had three career starts, breaking through on debut at Pakenham before heading to Echuca, where she encountered a couple of issues at the start, settled back and closed off well for fifth, beaten just over two lengths. She should be approaching peak fitness third-up and drops 5kg for this assignment. The daughter of Fierce Impact draws perfectly in barrier three and should be able to enjoy an economical run just behind the speed. Cian Macredmond takes the ride and has produced a 49% profit on investment when combining with the Preusker stable. Stepify has plenty of upside and looks capable of returning to the winner's stall.