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Carnival-shaping Schweppervescence bubbling over with chances

The carnival-shaping Schweppervescence (registered as the Auraria Stakes) over 1800m at Morphettville on Saturday has drawn together a talented, but open field of 3YO fillies – as TAB markets indicate.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Snapdancer is the early elect, but any of five or six horses could start favourite in the traditional Group 3 lead-up to SA’s two Group 1 staying events for fillies next month (Schweppes Oaks and TAB SA Fillies Classic).

Among those is the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Silent Sovereign, which hit the line with gusto – despite a chequered run – two weeks ago at Morphettville in the 1600m Laelia Stakes, which featured a number of the Auraria Stakes runners.

Silent Sovereign progressed to the VRC Oaks at Flemington in her first preparation and looks to have come back even better this time, after her strong-finishing first-up run. A kind draw for jockey Barend Vorster on Saturday will do her chances no harm.

A potential smoky – coming through a different race to many of the main fancies – is the Phillip Stokes-trained Selica, who went to the line untested against the boys in the Port Adelaide Guineas over a mile a fortnight ago. Prior to that Selica ran home hard at Moonee Valley over 1600m, running past a few key Auraria rivals in the final 200m,

Bordertown-trained Wings of Pastrami was brave when going down by a narrow margin – after enduring a wide run – in the Laelia Stakes, and should be competitive again this weekend, while Anthony Freedman’s Realm of Flowers was another blackbooker from the Laelia Stakes and could win, provided jockey Dom Tourneur can negotiate a reasonable run from the wide barrier.

But the chances don’t end there.

Snapdancer has solid Black Type lead-up form and is well drawn for top local jockey Todd Pannell, while the Mark Kavanagh-trained Vegas Jewel has the score on the board, running second in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Derby Day at Flemington, then backing up with a sixth placing in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) a few days later.

Other hopes include Laelia Stakes winner Meuse, James Cummings’ Godolphin filly Asiago (which ran sixth to Shout the Bar in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000m at Rosehill on March 28), and Nigel Blackiston-trained Under My Spell, which ran an excellent second over 1400m at Caulfield recently, defying the race-day pattern.

Selections: 1. Silent Sovereign; 2. Selica; 3. Wings of Pastrami; 4. Realm of Flowers.

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