Hauraki And It's Somewhat Head G1 Doomben Challenge

A significant gear change could hold the key to G1 success for Hauraki when he runs in the Doomben Cup in Brisbane on Saturday, May 21.

Hauraki (John O'Shea/James McDonald) is joined by It's Somewhat (John O'Shea/Damian Browne) in what will be his seventh G1 assignment.

"Hauraki has been a very honest horse for us right from the start. He's also a G2 winner and a Derby placegetter and he's run well in some of this country's best races, so he deserves a G1 against his name," said trainer John O'Shea.

"He ran very well last start, he had to make a very long run and it just told a bit at the end. But he's drawn ideally this time and we'll put the blinkers on just to help him focus better."

A winner at his first two starts, Hauraki scored his Stakes victory in the G2 Tulloch Stakes in 2014, an effort that was followed by perhaps his best result - a second placing behind Mongolian Khan in the G1 ATC Derby at Randwick.

Hauraki has also run well in such races as the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, two of the biggest races on the Australian turf.

Last start in the G2 Hollindale Cup, the son of Reset beat all but Leebaz, who opposes him again at Doomben, as does his stablemate It's Somewhat who finished behind him in fifth place.

It's Somewhat, a placegetter at G1 in the Eclipse Stakes in the UK, is a three-time winner in Australia, most recently in the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes at Rosehill in March.

"It's Somewhat was wide all the way in the Hollindale and got into a bit of trouble at a vital time, so it wasn't a bad result," O'Shea said.

Godolphin's Australian stable will also be represented at Doomben by Ambience (John O'Shea/James McDonald) in the G2 The Roses.

A two-time classic placegetter, Ambience produced the best run of her current preparation when second in the G1 ATC Oaks in early April.

Since then she has been trained at Godolphin's Osborne Park complex, a move O'Shea said she has appreciated.

"She looks better after being at the farm for a few weeks, she seems very happy and she has enough residual fitness to run well," O'Shea said.

The Brisbane team is completed by Archive, a two-year-old son of Helmet, who runs in the Listed Hampden Stakes following a luckless, debut effort last time out when third at Rosehill.