Highly regarded SA racing industry journalist Lincoln Moore provides his best bets for today’s eight-race program at Murray Bridge.
RACE 2 - TAB / SABOIS Fillies & Mares Maiden Plate (1200 METRES)
I liked the run of MISS MOURINHO at Morphettville last time behind THERESABEARINTHERE. She was beaten for early speed but worked to the line well to be beaten 3.6 lengths and the jump from 1000m to 1200m and spacious surrounds at Murray Bridge should really suit. BORN TO PLAY is an ex-Chris Waller trained filly who was $3.10 into $2.10 at Morphettville at her SA debut. She was held-up approaching the turn but still looked a touch plain on face value behind Final Chance, but that market support and the fact the McEvoy stable has almost a 36% winning strike-rate on the Gifford Hill track has to be respected. PASSING PHASE is an interesting runner. The local filly had specking at a price on debut back in April behind Daniyah and trialled quite nicely at Balaklava ahead of her return to racing. QUISENT is second-up in SA for Ryan Balfour and Jason Holder takes the ride, XTRA REWARD has the blinkers off after battling away OK at Gawler.
Race 4 - Christmas Cup Sunday 6 December / SABOIS Maiden Plate (1600 METRES)
Big field of horses chasing the SA Breeders Bonus all with vastly different form lines and two ex-Danny O’Brien horses clashing here - SAMURAI MOON and ARMAMENT. SAMURAI MOON made plenty of ground at Bendigo two starts back before jumping even money when beaten at Sale. He finds himself over in SA with Travis Doudle and looks very well suited in a race like this and would want to be after being purchased for $300,000 as a yearling. ARMAMENT wasn’t far away at his last three runs in Victoria before his SA debut for Bob Richard when fourth behind The Brumby. That form stacks up very well his effort in the Oaklands Plate last weekend when he charged home to run second behind Instant Celebrity who is destined for much better races. He was considered a highly-valuable youngster when he was passed in for $340,000 as a yearling. CELTIC VALOUR could be the ex-factor, a two-year-old taking on the older horses. He was run off his feet early at Murray Bridge before really getting through his gears in the latter stages behind Super Stryker. The step up from 1200m to 1600m should really suit him. SARINA is another who looks like she will appreciate stepping out in distance. She made up late ground behind The Krone, who also ran well in the Oaklands Plate, at Balaklava last time. KING AND KING is an interesting runner. He was a $200,000 yearling purchase and showed enough for the McEvoy camp to take him to Queensland early in his two-year-old season. He hasn’t fired a shot in three runs but was specked at odds in a Group 3 race at Eagle Farm in December. NEODIUM has been around the mark at all four runs in Victoria for the Phillip Stokes stable and he must be respected, OUR JOURNEYMAN has run well at his past couple back in class at big odds but draws wide.
RACE 7 – Bridges Event Centre Rating 0-62 Handicap (1200m)
This looks the ideal race for ROYALTY who drops back in class after class after chasing home Defiant Dancer last time, who has won again since. He hit the line strongly two starts back behind Just Kappy at Morphettville. Go back four starts and he was thrown in the deep end chasing home Dalasan in the Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington. He still has got some work to do to recoup his $700,000 price tag but the stable’s imposing strike-rate here is impossible to overlook. WOUNDED SOLIDER was well specked before winning at Morphettville on the weekend and is on the quick back-up and is on his new home track. JUST CHIPPING AWAY is living up to his name with some consistent form in better races. FLORIANO is resuming. She’s a half-sister to Alcopop and was tried at Group 3 level early in her career. It won’t surprise to see her run really well. HIGH MIST has been placed at five of nine starts in SA for Will Clarken and deserves to win a race nut is coming off his worst run on heavy going, the better track condition should see him figure in the finish. CONCONI is another on the quick back-up, she wasn’t far away at Morphettville last weekend and races well with one win and one second this track and trip.
BEST BET – MRS MOURINHO (Race 2)
EACH-WAY – ROYALTY (Race 7)
ROUGHIE – SARINA (Race 4)
