Lightly raced stallion Doyadeal can maintain his winning strike-rate in the Leader Community Newspapers Hcp at Yarra Valley on Tuesday (Race 6 at 3.30pm AEDT).

Doyadeal (4h Stravinsky – Matriarch by Zabeel) has won two of his three starts for Pakenham owner – trainer Giuseppe Alati and is stiff not to have a spotless record.

He was rising four when a first time winner at Bairnsdale in July but was then sidelined for another five months before resuming at Bendigo on December 10.  He struck interference twice in the run and then Dean Yendall lost his whip!  Under the circumstances, it was a top effort to finish within three lengths of the winner Esprit De Bullet.

Doyadeal made amends when he came from midfield to score by a length over 1200m at Bairnsdale last Monday, December 21.  It brought up a winning double for Alati who also prepared Stashalot to win earlier in the day.

Alati will back up Doyadeal for the third time in 19 days at Yarra Valley so the horse has obviously overcome the problems that hampered his progress as a two and three year-old.

Doyadeal was an $80,000 purchase for Blue Sky Thoroughbreds out of the Cambridge Stud draft at the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale.  He went through the ring again at the Magic Millions 2yo HIT Sale when Alati increased his value to $120,000.

The Stravinsky – Zabeel cross has been a potent combination for Sir Patrick Hogan with stakes winners the calibre of La Sizeranne, Estelle Collection, Flying Firebird, Miss Scarlatti, Pure Harmony, Stringmaster etc.

Doyadeal’s dam Matriarch is from the family of NZ 2000 Guineas winner Hulastrike (Straight Strike) and former NSW and WA based sire Don’t Say Halo.