McCarthy's update on stable stars

21 April 2026

ADAM HAMILTON | 

LUKE McCarthy wants to set the record straight on his Brisbane Inter Dominion plans.

NZ and Victoria Cup hero Kingman definitely won’t be going, but his former Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile winner Don Hugo (pictured) will.

“I read somewhere they both won’t go, but that’s not right. While Kingman is out having a long spell with a view to the Victoria and NZ Cups again, Don Hugo is back in work after his health scare.

“Don Hugo will definitely be going to Brisbane and I’m aiming Pinseeker at the series, too.

“That’s why I ran Pinseeker over 2300m at Menangle last week and I was pleased with the way he settled and won.

“They’ll be part of a big team I take up, a two-year-old Don Hunter for the Protostars, some mares, including Eye Keep Smiling and Steno, The Niteshift for the Derby and a few others.”

Before then, McCarthy is focused on the next two big Saturday nights at Menangle.

Superstar mare Eye Keep Smiling returns a freshen-up in the Robin Dundee Stakes on Saturday night, the last qualifier for the $200,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II a week later.

“It’s taken a while to get her back to her best, but he worked on Saturday was fantastic,” McCarthy said.

“It won’t be easy from the wide draw in a good field this week, but the run will also top her off nicely.

“They offered her a golden ticket into the Queen Elizabeth, but said no because I wanted her to run this week.”

McCarthy already has Steno in the feature after her sparkling qualifying win at Menangle last Saturday,

“She felt right back to her best and dropped a 25.6sec last quarter to come from a mile back,” he said.

McCarthy also has leading NSW Oaks contender Ripples from gate six in the first of three qualifying heats on Saturday night.

She’s back from a hit-and-run NZ trip to win at Cambridge on the same night Leap To Fame won last Friday week.

“It’s such an easy trip to Auckland. She’s come back great and will be hard to beat,” McCarthy said.