THE DARWIN CUP, PETER ROBL AND HADOUKEN

By Graham Potter | Sunday, August 10, 2025

It is no mean feat travelling a horse to Darwin from South-East Queensland twice in twelve months and coming home with two, back-to-back wins in the Darwin Cup. That is the off-beat success story of trainer Peter Robl and the now seven-year-old gelding Hadouken, a son of Deep Impact, who could be said to own Darwin having recorded the perfect six wins from six starts in the Territory. Last year Robl provided HRO with a fascinating behind-the-scenes story which tracked Hadouken step by step on his way to that 2024 Darwin Cup triumph. Robl was good enough to sit down with HRO one more time to give similar, interesting insight into the 2025 Darwin Cup campaign. So here we go … Hadouken and the Darwin Cup – Part 2.

Part 1 can be revisited here

A PRECISION PLAN. A PERFECT OUTCOME. THE FULL STORY BEHIND HADOUKEN’S DARWIN CUP WIN

There was never any doubt that, all being well, Hadouken would return to Darwin in 2025 to defend his Darwin Cup title.

“In terms of taking him back to Darwin, everything went pretty smoothly and pretty much according to plan from the time he got home from Darwin last year,” said Robl, taking up the story.

“We knew the only negative to winning a Darwin Cup is that his rating would go up significantly, which would probably not enable him to win back in South-East Queensland because he would have to race in Saturday grade in Brisbane …and we don’t believe he is good enough for that.

“It was also a case of the owners understanding that he probably wouldn’t win a race again until he went back to the Territory. The understanding had to be there that if he was going to have a preparation in Brisbane, they couldn’t drop the bottom lip if he went no good.

“I was telling them that was more than likely t be the case. They also had to be patient … they were ... and they’ve been rewarded for it."

Travel-wise, there was a big deviation from last year’s route … and a significantly extended timeline.

“This time we took a different route on the way to Darwin. We went to Alice Springs for the Alice Springs Cup,” explained Robl.

“He never handled the track. It was a completely different surface to Darwin which I wasn’t fully aware of until I got to Alice Springs.

“It is a lot more sandy and it’s a lot more loose. He didn’t like at all, so he won’t be going there again.”

And the extended travel time?

“He left home, I think, about March 10 to head for Alice Springs. He’s basically been on the road since then which is a fair time … and he again proved he is the right horse for the trip because, as far as eating and drinking is concerned, he never missed a beat in all that time, which certainly makes things a lot easier.

“That just shows you the horse’s temperament … so good natured … ready to go anywhere … and just not stress about anything.

“He is a happy horse. Who doesn’t like a good road-trip? He was drinking water, and I was drinking beer,” joked Robl.

Another difference to last year came in the build-up runs in Darwin itself leading into the Cup.

“Last year we had to qualify for the Cup because our rating wasn’t high enough. This year we were guaranteed of a Cup start, so all of our runs were aimed towards the Cup. We didn’t have to worry about winning those lead-up races to get our rating up because we were already in the Cup.”

But Hadouken won the lead-up races anyway … as he did in 2024.

In 2024 Hadouken’s Darwin campaign tracked from 1500m to 2050m … and then into the Cup with two weeks in-between the first and second run and two weeks in-between the second and the Cup run.

This year Hadouken’s Darwin campaign kicked off over 1300m … then it was on the 1600m (the Chief Minister’s Cup) … and then into the Cup with two weeks in-between the first and second run and three weeks in-between the second and the Cup run.

“When he won the Chief Ministers, he displayed to us that he was right where I wanted to have him,” stated Robl. “Two thirds of that Chief Minister’s field went to the Metric Mile next. I didn’t think that Hadouken needed a run in the Metric Mile, so I was happy to bypass it and go straight to the Cup.”

In the two lead-up runs … and wins … Hadouken was ridden by Paul Shiers … and that is a story in itself.

“Paul Shiers … when I was an apprentice at Benalla with Wayne Nicholls, Paul Shiers was apprenticed to Richie Freyer at Corowa the time he had Adam’s Mate and all those good horses … I think Donald Terry was stable rider for Richie at the time … well, that’s how far back I go with Paul Shiers," said Robl

“That’s how long we’ve known each other.

“I think he has been up in the Territory for twenty years now … and here he is, riding for me after all of this time.”

The Darwin Cup ride was always going to go to another jockey with whom Robl has had an enduring friendship.

Blake Shinn, the only rider to have won premierships in both Sydney and Melbourne, stepped uo to the mark on Cup day and he had to be at his serious best to help get Hadouken home.

Just like last year, it was a battle royal down the home straight as Hadouken and Shinn fought tooth and nail to keep his closest challengers at bay, in the end prevailing by a 0.40 length margin, the same winning margin of his 2024 Cup triumph.

Did Robl feel like it was a case of deja vu?

“Pretty much … yes,” answered Robl. “Blake said he was always travelling like a winner … always felt like a winner, but it wasn’t the case when you are watching the big grey looming up alongside him at the 150m.

“It makes life a lot easier when you’ve got B. Shinn booked to ride your horse though.”

Is a tilt at the three-peat on the cards?

“It’s all been pretty straight forward this time … and he’s going to be the same position again coming back here. He’ll struggle to win a race because his rating is too high,” said Robl.

“Providing the horse is well and good within himself, he’ll have six weeks in the paddock and then everything will be aimed at going back to the Northern Territory next year.

“Well see if we can repeat it there again.”

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