The Listed Port Adelaide Guineas is an extremely important race leading into both the Group 3 Chairman's Stakes and the Group 1 UBET South Australian Derby. If you're looking to build a bank over the Autumn Racing Carnival, make sure you follow Saturday's Listed races very closely.
The first three horses across the line in the Guineas are exempt from the ballot and guaranteed a start in the Chairman's Stakes.
Historically winners of the Port Adelaide Guineas have gone on to run well in both the Chairman's and Derby with last year's winner, Howard Be Thy Name taking out both.
Looking at the Guineas, a top four finish in your last start is the key with all winners of the last eight editions (since the race has been run at Morphettville) coming off a first four run.
There are 12 runners in the field for Saturday who finished in the first four in their last run and seven of those ran over 1600m which has been a favoured distance leading into the Guineas.
Favourites have had mixed success in the race winning on three occasions but none have won since High Esteem in 2013. In the last two editions of the Guineas, the favourites (Mail It In & Bayoona) have both been unplaced while Kushadasi ran second in 2014, the year he went on to win the Group One SA Derby.
Year | Winner | Price | Lead Up Race | Group 3 Chairman's Stakes | Group One South Australian Derby |
2016 | Howard Be Thy Name | $6.30 | 1st Pakenham 1600m BM70 | 1st | 1st |
2015 | Jim's Journey | $20.20 | 3rd Morphettville 1600m Open | - | - |
2014 | Gamblin' Guru | $4.60 | 2nd Morphettville 1600 BM90 | 1st | 4th |
2013 | High Esteem | $2F | 1st Caulfield 1700m Inglis Bonus | - | - |
2012 | Cornell | $2.20F | 1st Sandown 1400m BM72 | 3rd | 16th |
2011 | Echoes of Heaven | $14.20 | 4th Seymour 1600m BM78 | 3rd | 2nd |
2010 | Red Colossus | $3.50 | 1st Sandown 1600m BM72 | 1st | 2nd |
2009 | Excelltastic | $2.40F | 4th Flemington 2000m Baden Baden | 8th | - |
Interestingly, three of the last four winners of the South Australian Derby have come through the Guineas in Howard Be Thy Name (2016, 1st in Guineas), Kushadasi (2014, 2nd in Guineas) and Escado (2013, 7th in Guineas)
The Matthew Ellerton & Simon Zahra trained Odeon has been installed as $3 favourite with UBET after a dominant last start win at Mornington. Locally trained pair and Listed winners Morvada and Silvera have also been given a chance in the market. Both ran in last year's Group 1 Victorian Derby.
Listed Port Adelaide Guineas UBET Market
Odeon $3
Morvada $8
Cliff Hanger, Silvera $11
Arctic Flow, Volatile Mix $12
All others $15+