Morphettville, Saturday, 6/5
Conditions - Soft
Race 1
8- KING’S CROSSING
7- FIRST IMMORTAL
4- EAGLELOU
Victorian visitor KINGS CROSSING looks a type who is really well suited to these types of staying races. He is listed level placed at this distance and competed in The Victorian Derby. He looks to have good upside in this BM68 and expect if he runs well here he may back up into The SA Derby. FIRST IMMORTAL is up in trip today after having won his last start at Sale. He has run this trip once previously and was placed. Small negative for him is he hasn’t produced much of soft rated tracks previously, but both of those races at an unsuitable trip, Craig Williams riding a positive though. EAGLELOU looks next best, was a strong last start winner hitting the line well. He tests himself at this trip for the first time today, but the way he hits the line over the mile suggests he will run this out.
Race 2
2- MY KHALIFA
3- CONQUEROR
8- PUDDING
Handy race this, TYPHOON HARMONY scratched now takes another handy type out of the race but it is still strong. MY KHALIFA has found some good winning form this prep, we have seen he can string a few wins together when last prep he won 4 races on the trot. Up to the 1600m for the first time should suit and Todd Pannell rides, they have paired up 3 times before for 2 wins, he rates well for this race coming of a listed level win last start. CONQUEROR was a last start winner here at Morphettville but on the Parks track. Thought he was super impressive in that win, he made up good ground late to run over the top of rivals for the win. Had to handle a big weight and the parks track is notoriously hard to make ground up on. He comes well down in the weights today and will likely appreciate the bigger Morphettville track. Small knock on him is his form on soft tracks though. PUDDING can improve now 2nd up. The 1st up run is a bit of a forgive as he didn’t find a lot of room for a big run. Gets suitable track conditions today and will appreciate the 1600m, look for an improved showing here.
Race 3
4- LE DERRIERE
9- NOBLE MAGNATE
3- SEA WITNESS
Found this race a little bit tricky. There is a mix of interstate form lines, runners resuming and a tricky race map. Going with visitor LE DERRIERE on top who has placed in both runs this prep and now comes across the border. It’s not an overly strong race and she is only a lightly raced mare, expect she will find a good position in running and appreciates a soft track. NOBLE MAGNATE wasn’t far away from the place getters in his last start, there has been good form come out of that race and this looks easier today. He is 3rd up now so expecting his fitness levels to be peaking around this point. SEA WITNESS wouldn’t surprise at very good odds. He likes to push forwards and take up the lead, the booking of Linda Meech is a huge positive for him as she is no doubt one of the best riders of leaders in Australia.
Race 4
3- GENERAL BEAU
6- LARIMER STREET
1- ZOUTORI
GENERAL BEAU looks one of the better bets at today’s meeting. He was good running on late in a strong Irwin Stakes race 2 weeks ago. He had a couple of excuses and did get hampered for a run at one stage, so like him here 2nd up in a smaller field and what looks an easier race now. Mapping him to get a very good run behind some good speed and get every chance to produce a big run late. LARIMER STREET comes out of the same Irwin Stakes that GENERAL BEAU does. He is a good runner over these sprint trips at this track, he has a tricky race map today which is the knock on him, but another who will get a better run here in a smaller field. ZOUTORI can’t be ignored in a race like this, he is a clear stand out on class alone being a Group 1 winner, the knocks are that he has a big weight to carry and is 1st up with that weight on a potentially wet track. He looks like The Goodwood is a clear aim and using this race as a kick off for the prep, but still is worth including on talent alone.
Race 5
3- REMEDIES
4- CHILLED
10- DOWN LOW
REMIDIES was well supported last start and had every chance when leading, but was run over by a horse who looks to have good upside. It’s going to be a hot race but think she will land in a strong spot from barrier 3 and that should help her late in this race, if she finds a good run I’m expecting she will be stronger late and hitting the line well. CHILLED was a winner here 2 starts back when she defeated STRETAN ANGEL who then went on to beat a strong Listed level field which did include REMIDIES. CHILLED is obviously in good form, but did look to peak on her run at Sandown last start. Not sure if that’s suggesting she has hit her peak already this prep and that is the query, but she obviously does have the strong form lines. DOWN LOW is an interesting runner, she was sent for a spell after her debut run where she was a disappointing 5th after having had some market support. Suggestion is that she pulled up with some issues that day, so it wouldn’t surprise to see her run well here resuming and especially on the back of a very handy trial.
Race 6
4- FOXY FRIDA (BEST OF DAY)
2- MY WHISPER
17- CASTE
Thought FOXY FRIDA was very impressive when she resumed a winner at Bendigo, She gets a really good set up for this race today off the back of that win. She is up to the 1600m now which suits, has a good record on wet tracks as well as having run well here at Morphettville previously. She was 2nd in this same race last year and looks to have returned in very good order, she looks a very tough one to beat today. Expecting MY WHISPER will be an improver today now she gets to 2nd up and up in trip. She is another horse who has previously run well here at Morphettville. She won the 2022 Group 3 Auraria Stakes before running 3rd in The SA Oaks. Her best is clearly good enough but she does have a sticky race map which is the knock. CASTE was an impressive last start winner here at the track and has now won 2 on the trot. This is obviously a tougher task taking on the older horses and up to the 1600m for the 1st time, but she is in winning form and has good upside going forwards.
Race 7
4- ZAPATEO
1- BELLA NIPOTINA
6- PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE
This is a super field for The Group 1 Sangster Stakes this year. The field contains 5 runners who have all won Group 1s including, BELLA NIPOTINA, ROCH ‘N’ HORSE, MARABI, SEPTEMBER RUN and ESPIONA as well as multiple runners who have won at Group 2 level. It’s a very strong field so a very open race. Giving ZAPATEO a big chance to win her first Group 1 today, she has won 2 races in a row since she finished down the field at Group 1 level at Sandown. The lasts start win at Randwick was particularly impressive when she made a mess of a very handy field winning by 2.4L. She maps for a similar run to what she got on that day at Randwick and does her best work on wet tracks which she should find here today. All are very good positives for her chances. BELLA NIPOTINA is a super consistent mare. She was 2nd 2 starts back in The William Reid Stakes where she went against the track tempo to finish off strongly. She has since gone to contest the strong Quokka race in WA where again she stormed home late to grab 3rd. You know your going to get a good run from her and she will be doing her best work late, with even luck she is a big threat. PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE looks ready to win as well. 2 starts ago she knocked off EDUARDO before taking up the lead in a hot TJ Smith and fading late. She has had a trial since and this has been a target race, small knock on her is barrier 1 if she can’t get off the rail, but if the track is favouring the leaders she looks well placed.
Race 8
7- SHE DANCES
9- ROYAL MERCHANT
3- PRESS DOWN
SHE DANCES won her last start at Sandown in impressive fashion when she was well supported in the market and she put the field away by an impressive 5.5L.. She maps well from barrier 2 and has won 4/4 starts over the 1200m. She looks like she will get run of the race and should prove tough to beat here. ROYAL MERCHANT had horror luck in her last run when she was held up for a long time coming into the straight before she exploded late to just miss. She is coming back in trip which I’m not sure suits her as well, but if she does run up to her last start with better luck, she will be hitting the line strongly again. PRESS DOWN wouldn’t surprise at big odds here, he comes out of The Redelva which was a strong race and he ran on late to place in that race. He did a lot of extra work being caught out wide with no cover, so expecting he gets a better run here and looks a handy price to at least place.
Race 9
1- JACKS ON ICE (VALUE OF DAY)
10- PRANCE ‘N’ DANCE
11- SMILING FROM ABOVE
JACKS ON ICE impressed winning easily at Gawler on ANZAC day. This is a harder level race, but by this stage of the day, he may find himself in the best part of the track from the wider barrier and is now in winning form and rates well in this field. PRANCE ‘N’ DANCE was a winner 1st up before contesting at listed level last start. While she finished 11th, she was only 5L off the winner and this is a good drop in grade for her. SMILING FROM ABOVE was met with strong market supports when she resumed at Strathalbyn last time. She probably should have won that race but did get some bad luck. She has had a bit of a break since then so maybe something did go wrong. She gets in well at weights, maps well and is only lightly races, she wont be far away from these if she is at her best today.
Quaddie
2,4,16,17
1,3,4,5,6,7
3,7,8,9
1,4,10,11
$384 = 100%
