Don’t Hope Do faces tough Valley test in the 2025 Carlyon Stakes

Moonee Valley trainer Simon Zahra concedes Don’t Hope Do faces a tough test when he lines up in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) on Saturday.

The gelding has not contested a stakes race since last spring, when he ran sixth in the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield after finishing third behind Archo Nacho and Maharba in the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Day.

A maiden winner on debut at Bendigo, Don’t Hope Do returned to winning ways in a Benchmark 74 at Sandown earlier this month but now faces a tougher challenge, compounded by drawing the outside gate in the nine-horse Carlyon field.

“He hasn’t drawn the best and probably needed to draw a bit more favourably to be really competitive, but he’s going well,” Zahra said.

“He wasn’t screwed down the other day and he had 59-½ kilos, and we thought he would improve off it with the run. I’ve always had a good opinion of him, but there’s not a lot of options around for him.”

Don’t Hope Do has only had 10 starts, his career hampered by injury setbacks including a knee growth that required surgery. Zahra believes maturity will help him progress this spring if the right races can be found.

“He’s mature now and there is a nice race in him somewhere over the spring, but it’s just finding the right race for him. If you’ve got a rating like his at this time of year, they’re not easy to place.”

Punters looking to follow Don’t Hope Do’s run in the Carlyon Stakes can access the latest betting markets via Australia’s top betting sites.