SA racing industry journalist Lincoln Moore’s preview for Saturday’s Murray Bridge program has landed. Linc has dissected the nine-race card, plus provided a BEST BET, a BEST EACH WAY tip and a VALUE selection.
RACE 1 - 11:46am Adelaide Galvanising Handicap (1200 METRES)
JUST ZERENE is the class factor. She’s always carried a massive boom and ran well first-up from a spell in the Lightning Stakes when her condition gave out late when 3rd behind Parlophone. She’s obviously going to strip much fitter, is drawn perfectly in barrier three and should be very hard to beat. ANOTHER AWARD is a danger. He was a winner here, coming from a long way back, three starts ago, then ran well behind stablemate Super Striker before another very good effort behind Instant Celebrity, who opened equal favourite for the Thousand Guineas this week. ANOTHER AWARD draws perfectly on the inside and looks a genuine threat, especially if JUST ZERENE wants to fizz up pre-race and spend some energy (which she does more often than not). PROMOTER looked to have his chance at Morphettville last week when heavily backed to jump favourite. He did cover ground but would need to take a big step to be beating the favourite. He has the addition of blinkers. Nothing went right for ROSE TIARA when she needed it last time out and she was scratched from Gawler midweek in preference to this race. KAYSERI is a nice horse and his past couple have been good. He jumped favourite behind Wounded Solider at Morphettville last time and the winner has won again since. CALL ME ARCHER caught the eye late last week running into 4th behind Chosen Blonde over 1000m. He looks a horse on the up and will really appreciate the 1200m
SELECTIONS: JUST ZERENE, Another Award, Kayseri
RACE 2 - 12:21pm Adrian Pederick MP Handicap (1200 METRES)
ROYALTY has only won two of nine but he’s tackled much stronger races and was good when controlling the race on speed here last time, bouncing back to winning form. This is a step-up on last time but he draws a nice gate and the McEvoy horses thrive here at Murray Bridge. AKKACAN is racing well, was runner-up behind Streetcar Stranger (who finished 2nd behind Parlophone in the Lightning), and 2nd behind Hypersonic, before being beaten three lengths behind Schilldora last time. He’s drawn a slightly sticky gate but the stable is going well and the winkers go on again. WOUNDED SOLIDER is going super for Karen Byrnes, winning two of his past three, both on the Parks track. I’M A LEGEND has been knocking on the door his past three. He came from well back when 2nd behind Call Me Dexter two back, before a good run behind The Difference last time. MR HAMILTON draws out but will most likely set the tempo up front and should strip fitter.
SELECTIONS: ROYALTY, Wounded Solider, Akkacan
RACE 3 - 12:56pm Passing of Reg Tanner Handicap (1000 METRES)
An interesting field of well-performed sprinters clashing, and amazingly THOMPSON’S REWARD is the only runner to have won here. He doesn’t win out of turn though, with just three wins from 23 starts. But he a winner first-up and down in the weights looks a very good chance. MISS JANE has good formlines for this race. She was well tried when she beat all but Schilldora at Morphettville last time and she’ll get a lovely run from the inside gate. STAR HILLS draws perfectly in barrier two and has been freshened since winning consecutive races at Morphettville. His fresh record is very good and a rain-affected track brings him right into calculations. COLUMBIA draws a nice gate and showed improvement last time when he worked home well to finish just 2.1 lengths behind Octane. ASCENDANCE was brave last time when he led and was only cut down late, beaten a length behind Octane. He’ll run an honest race. LOPE DE CAPIO is a former smart sprinter who gave a hint of a return to form when he was specked form $51 into $31 and made good ground, beaten 3.6 lengths behind Irish Mint last time. CELTIC BLAST returned to form ridden off the speed when second behind Brimarvi Vehero at Morphettville last weekend. DOMINATION speared to the lead and was good enough to fight off Goodgee at Balaklava last time. He’s placed just once in five starts here but draws to race forward and down in the weights over the 1000m will give them something to chase. Stablemate STAR OF MONSOON is having his third run in as many weeks and should have finished closer behind Brimarvi Vehero last week. Barend Vorster takes the ride.
SELECTIONS: THOMPSON’S REWARD, Miss Jane, Columbia
RACE 4 - 1:36pm Torrens Building & Civil Handicap (1400 METRES)
FIELDS OF IVY is a lightly-raced mare who was $2-$1.75 on debut at Morphettville in November when she defeated Celine. The form out of that race is OK and the blinkers go on here. She has drawn a sticky gate, but was looked after late in a recent Gawler jump-out. ROTHMOORE is going super this time in and the weekend rain will be a welcome sight for his connections, as he boasts a superior record on soft and heavy conditions. He got well back and stormed home behind Territory Titan last time – and that horse blitzed rivals at Morphettville last weekend. SADENTE ran really well first-up in SA for Andrew Clarken before she was given a peach of ride by Todd Pannell to cut down rivals at Morphettville last time. This is a step-up in class on last time. AQUEDECT is a former Kiwi now with Michael Hickmott. He won a Matamata maiden in February, has been gelded and also gets the blinkers for the first time. Keep an eye on any markets moves. MAY BE FATE ran really well, coming from well back to finish 2nd behind The Difference at Morphettville last time, and draws a nice barrier. LISETTE probably should have won her only start here and was going well at the end of her last campaign, winning at Gawler and Morphettville. She ran really well first-up from a break when 3rd, beaten three lengths behind Exalted Lauretta and is a winner second-up. EXALTED TRAVELLER is likely to battle for the lead from the inside gate and was brave when leading throughout at Gawler last time. MAGIC PHANTOM ran really well making ground from back in the field at Balaklava last time, while RIKIBOBBY is capable on his best but has a sticky gate.
SELECTIONS: ROTHMOORE, Fields Of Ivy, Sadente
RACE 5 - 2:16pm Spry Civil Construction Handicap (1200 METRES)
RULER BY CHOICE was a winner here on debut last November before taking that form to Pakenham and winning. She ran OK first-up behind Radiant Warrior at Swan Hill and gets the winkers on for the first time. HOT IN PARIS looked to have her chance at Morphettville last week when she controlled the speed outside the leader but was run down by Wounded Solider. She’s drawn out which hasn’t helped her claims but gets the blinkers again. TURNCOAT comes to Adelaide and gets Todd Pannell, but also a sticky wide gate. She was placed twice at Geelong before jumping favourite and leading throughout to win by 1.25 lengths last time. NASIFA was run down by Silverhawk, who has since won in town, two runs back and that has proven a strong form race. He put in a good effort when 3rd behind Schilldora last time. That forms reads well for this and the step out to 1200m looks ideal from an inside gate. ARAY OF SUNSHINE has a good record and wasn’t far away, beaten 1.7 lengths, behind Left Hand Man last weekend. SONIC DEED was heavily backed to run favourite last time out when beaten 1.6 lengths behind Kingson.
SELECTIONS: NASIFA, Ruler By Choice, Hot In Paris
RACE 6 - 2:56pm Marshall & Brougham Handicap (1600 METRES)
RESURGE is the class runner, having competed in some good races during his three-year-old season. He returned to racing back in October and was runner-up behind Borris In Ossory before running a $1.95 favourite when down the track behind Star Status. He is a winner first-up and obviously has a good grounding to be returning at the mile – and this isn’t the strongest race you’ll find on a Saturday. WHITE HEATH ran well at Balaklava, chasing home Kalamon last week. He stays at the mile but does look ready to fire third-up from a spell. He’s drawn out but looks right in this. ALLAYEZ has won two of his past three and was scratched from Gawler midweek for this. He draws a nice gate and looks to be in the mix in this class. DESIDERO is back from two wins on the dirt at Port Augusta, both over the 1600m trip. He has two wins (plus three placings) from nine start here on his home track and must be respected. FRANKEL STAR ran well first-up for Matt Seyers at Gawler and draws a nice gate.
SELECTIONS: RESURGE, White Heath, Desidero
RACE 7 - 3:36pm Riverscape Food & Wine Handicap (1400 METRES)
Interesting race and ARKHAM KNIGHT gets his chance to bounce back. He was a good Morphettville winner four runs back and was doing his best work late behind Octane last time when he settled behind the winner and was only beaten 1.7 lengths. With a superior soft-track record, the forecast of rain only enhances his chances, and the winkers go off again. NIPPERKIN is racing well without much luck but again she faces a sticky wide gate. She ran very well behind ARKHAM KNIGHT two runs back and was again doing her best work late behind Oh Mo last time. PELOTON is now with Michael Hickmott and is a first-up winner back home in New Zealand. His last run was in a New Zealand Derby, but he is a winner over 1400m and 1500m. He’ll also wear blinkers for the first time. Tony and Calvin McEvoy have three runners: ARISTOCRATIC MISS, MORE THAN EVER and CROCKETT. Barend Vorster going with MORE THAN EVER is a strong pointer. He was flying last campaign, winning twice at Morphettville before going to Moonee Valley and beating Bling Dynasty over 2500m. He has been placed first-up and will get better over further, but did win a recent Gawler jump-out. ARISTOCRATIC MISS is the class runner. She should have won the Ballarat Cup back in November and her two runs here during the carnival were very good. She was beaten 2.2 lengths behind A Shin Rook in the City Of Adelaide and just 2.9 lengths behind Chapel City in the RA Lee Stakes. Her first-up record is sound, with a win and three placings from five starts, but her best form is beyond a mile. She was looked after in a recent Gawler jump-out. CROCKETT draws out and looked to have his chance when he led to run 5th behind Analytica, who has won since. He has one win and one placing from two starts this track but is drawn a sticky gate. JAGUARY is another interesting runner-up first-up from a break. He is smart on his day and does boast a very good fresh record. He looked quite forward in a recent jump-out. The blinkers go back on ZALMONA who has been disappointing this campaign but he draws a good barrier and his best would have him well placed here. FLOP looked to have her chance last week after a gun run when she hit the lead but was run down by Left Hand Man. MONGOLIAN MARSHALL didn’t fire a shot at his only run in SA for Stuart Gower. He was only beaten 1.5 lengths at Group 1 level at Trentham in New Zealand three starts back in January and it wouldn’t surprise to see him run a better race.
SELECTIONS: ARKHAM KNIGHT, Aristocratic Miss, Peloton
RACE 8 - 4:16PM Neil Tanner Memorial Handicap (1000 METRES)
NICCONI PONI is a former New South Wales galloper first-up for Will Clarken. She has two wins at eight placings from 24 starts and looked good winning a recent Morphettville jump-out. Draws an OK gate here and looks hard to beat. VON SAGA got a mile back before storming home to win at Naracoorte. She’s won three of her past four starts and looks well suited. ATOMIC WIZARD has a handy record and ran well behind Streetcar Stranger two starts back before another good effort behind Hypersonic last time. Both those winners would be battling for favouritism here and she can put herself in a good spot from barrier six. DAWN SALUTE has ability and looked good coming from a long way back to round up rivals in maiden class. This is harder but she has some upside and has jumped out well since. Stablemate TRIP ran well first-up from a break, when she led and boxed on well to run fourth behind Ice Ghost, and looks the improver. FABULOUS FLIPPER goes well this track and draws a nice gate. HOT SIZZLE was let roll in the lead and gave a bold sight behind Kingson in town last time. She draws to be right in the firing line again.
SELECTIONS: NICONI PONI, Von Saga, Trip
RACE 9 - 4:55pm magicmillions.online Handicap (1800 METRES)
TATALINA is a nice mare who resumes here and her form earlier this year was very good, but over further. She was placed twice in Melbourne before chasing home Good Idea at Moonee Valley. That horse went on to run well in the Adelaide Cup. She is a winner first-up and obviously has a good grounding to return at 1800m. JUST ROLLING has won two of his past three and looks to have claims despite dropping back in trip. He is two from two this track. EXALTED RUTH is flying. She was good winning at Morphettville two runs back before a game effort behind the in-form Bertwhistle. BLACK SYRAH is progressing well through the grades, winning three of his past four. He draws perfectly and the 1800m should be ideal. FRANKED goes OK fresh and is another that obviously has a good grounding for his return at 1800m. He was a Morphettville winner two starts back before chasing Oceanex home in the Port Cup. Stablemates STAR STATUS and SUPER SWOOP both have each-way appeal and are looking for the 1800m. FLOW METER ran very well in his first two runs back from a spell. He only battled behind Analytica last time but gets out to his preferred trip now and must be respected. GETOUTTHEWAY draws wide but is racing well.
SELECTIONS: EXALTED RUTH, Tatalina, Just Rolling
BEST BET: ROYALTY (Race 2)
EACH-WAY: ROTHMOORE (Race 4)
VALUE: ARKHAM KNIGHT (Race 7)
