Ciaron Maher’s first Queensland runner was a stakes winner and the trainer is confident his first Group One starter in the north can also deliver.

Mr O’Ceirin lines up in Saturday’s $500,000 Doomben Cup as one of the fresh horses on the scene having been aimed at the weight-for-age feature third-up.

The gelding finished second to Doomben Cup rival Streama in the Hollindale Stakes last start on a heavy track which Maher said would have brought him to his peak.

Earlier on the Hollindale Stakes program at the Gold Coast on May 3, talented filly Srikandi emerged a winner for Maher with an impressive performance in the Silk Stocking.

While the likes of Streama and Junoob have had Sydney autumn campaigns, Mr O’Ceirin has been kept back specifically for a tilt at Brisbane.

“That was what we planned with him, to go into these races and really target them,” Maher said.

“The horse has come up super. He has thrived up there. Glen Boss is going to ride him and he knows him well.

“He’s got a lot of favours.”

Hawkesbury Cup winner Leebaz is favourite at $3.70 ahead of Streama ($4), Warrnambool Cup winner Akzar ($4.60), Junoob ($5.50) and Mr O’Ceirin ($7).

Mr O’Ceirin resumed in Melbourne over 1400m before heading to the Hollindale over 1800m.

The gelding likes soft ground but both Maher and Boss agree he was vulnerable second-up at the end of the Hollindale on a heavy track when Streama finished over the top of him to win by half a length.

“He should hopefully peak for this,” Maher said.

“I think he’ll take good improvement out of his last run.”

Srikandi could also run at Doomben on Saturday in the Juanmo Quality in what would be a change in plans with Maher originally looking at the Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) a week later.

“I was going to send her to the Glenlogan, and she still might (go there), but it’s set weights and penalties and it just doesn’t sit that well with her,” Maher said.

“She gets a penalty for winning the race the other day and the older mares and better-performed mares meet her better on the weights at that weight scale.

“So we might go to the Listed race on Saturday over 1200m.”