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Morphettville Boxing Day Preview

While many are in recovery mode on Boxing Day, whether it’s from going back for your third serving of the Christmas turkey or icing your shoulder from your annual spell of bowing in the backyard, there’s no better place to recover than trackside at Morphettville.

A big eight race card awaits those trackside or watching from their lounge rooms and while there isn’t the usual running of the Listed Christmas Handicap, the $100k Alcopop Series Final is set to be a cracker with a full field looking likely with chances aplenty.

Jockey to Watch: Martin Seidl

South Australian’s will get their first chance to see the visiting German hoop, Martin Seidl show his talent with the 24 year-old over here for a four month stint in Australia.

Seidl is coming off a career best 51 win season in Germany and after spending the summer period in South Africa last year, he’s decided that this year Australia is the best destination to apply his trade to avoid the cold German winter.

It seems the sea change is working wonders for Seidl with the hoop already notching up 5 wins and 7 placings from 32 race starts in Australia. He’s booked to have six rides on Wednesday, five for visiting Victorian trainer Richard Laming and with the form he’s in, he’ll be one to keep a very close eye on!

Trainer to Watch: Will Clarken

The young trainer is currently on track for a PB season with 19 winners so far this year which has him third in the State Trainer’s Premiership and fourth on the Metro Premiership with 11 city winners.

Clarken has five runners set for Wednesday including his first starter Bottle and Bird in Race 3 and his stable’s new addition Tiara Star in Race 8. Both of these runners will be big chances in their respective races with Todd Pannell in the saddle.

Clarken will also have three runners in the $100k Alcopop Series Final, led by Handsome Return who is undefeated since joining his yard. Jamie Kah sticks with the former Kiwi galloper who has won his last two races very impressively at Gawler. He will also saddle up the topweight Savatag and the super consistent El Desperado. With three quality runners in the field, it would not be a surprise if more than one Clarken horse was fighting out the finish in the $100k feature.

Horse to Watch: Easy Beast (Race 4)

A Victorian visitor from the Richard Laming stable who’s coming off a last start fourth at Moonee Valley. He’s a horse that likes to lead and has pace to burn. He should get a nice jump from Barrier One and the drop back from 1200m to 1050m looks like it could be a big plus for him on Boxing Day.

He’s won twice at Morphettville from four starts including a win on Adelaide Cup Day this year where he defeated the talented Tony McEvoy trained Over Exposure. That horse than went on to run second in the Listed Adelaide Guineas and Group 3 RA Lee Stakes over the Festival of Racing.

If he can bring his best on Wednesday, he’s going to prove to be very hard to catch with the German Martin Seidel in the saddle.­­

Fun Fact:

Jason Holder always brings his best for Boxing Day. Over the last three years he’s had five Boxing Day winners including a double last year, which included a win in the Listed Christmas Handicap.

Holder will have seven rides on Boxing Day and with a record like his, looks a certainty to find himself in the winner’s circle at some stage.

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