RACE 1 - 11:51AM Holdfast Insurance Handicap (Heat One Rebel Raider Series) (1100 METRES)
Good race to kick off the card with some promising horses stepping out. JABALI RIDGE was a Flemington winner in January and was thrown in the deep end, running down the track behind Hanseatic in a Blue Diamond Prelude. He’s had four runs back from a break and has been far from disgraced. This looks a drop in class and he gets his chance from the good gate, aided by the claim for Jess Eaton. CELESTINE was well fancied and looked good on debut, beating subsequent winner Chosen Blonde. She draws to be right in the firing line throughout and the stable has an opinion of her. SO YOU CAN is a promising horse who ran a slashing race on debut when he came from a mile back behind Alleboom at Balaklava before backing-up at Morphettville on the Parks track and beating The Krone. The form looks solid enough now with The Krone winning at Balaklava and running fourth behind Instant Celebrity in the Oaklands Plate. THE MULTIPLIER is the big watch on debut for Will Clarken. He’s won two recent trials at Balaklava and draws nicely in barrier for his first outing under race conditions. GOGOLF GURU showed improvement when he pulled ground off Chosen Blonde last time and will appreciate the step up to 1100m. SUPER LOOKA got back and ran home well on debut before being kept tight in betting and only battling last time. The step out in trip should suit.
SELECTIONS: JABALI RIDGE, So You Can, The Multiplier
RACE 2 - 12:26PM TAB Handicap (2006 METRES)
I think the Sue and Jason Jaensch stablemates VON COSTA GLASS and JUST ROLLING can fight this race out. VON COSTA GLASS really appreciated getting out to 2000m last start when third behind Bertwhistle and he’s the superior wet-track horse in the race with two wins on soft tracks and a win on heavy going. JUST ROLLING is on the quick back-up after getting a long way and charging home behind Ace Of Clubs at Murray Bridge last weekend. His form this campaign has been excellent and he also has very good form on soft tracks. COFFEE AMOUR looks ready to fire now, fourth up from a spell. She beat home all but Territory Titan last time out and that’s a strong pointer for this given she raced well over a trip last campaign. The only concern is her lack of form on rain-affected tracks. ANDREA MANTEGNA has been going well since coming to SA and gets Todd Pannell. FLOW METER ran two very good races early this prep and did get going late behind Ace Of Clubs at Murray Bridge last week. This race looks to have more depth. Stablemate CLASSY JOE is racing well, winning at Bordertown last time out, but this is a step up in grade.
SELECTIONS: VON COSTA GLASS, Just Rolling, Coffee Armour
RACE 3 - 1:01PM AAMI Handicap (1100 METRES)
VIEIRA is drawn perfectly here and gets in well with the claim for Jess Eaton. He was brave last time when he did plenty of work on a hot speed and was only reeled in late behind Silverhawk. He draws perfectly in barrier two and the only concern would be the drop back to 1100m. DEEP DIVE is obviously the watch horse from the Freedman yard and he draws the inside gate. He was a Geelong winner back in January and again successful there second-up from spell last time out. He draws the inside gate but is unseen in soft conditions. SOUL FIRE ran a super race first-up from a break when 1.6 lengths third behind Octane and we know how good that form is. He loves a heavy track and is now in the hands if Michael O’Leary. The claim for Caitlin Jones bring the 10-year-old right into calculations. VON SAGA draws out but likes to get back in her races and stormed home to win two runs back. She was scratched from Naracoorte midweek in preference for this and will be hitting the line hard. READY SUNSHINE was given a gun ride to score at good odds at Murray Bridge last week. FORTUNE FOLLOWS showed improvement last time while MASTERATI led throughout at odds back in class last time and draws to be somewhere near the speed.
SELECTIONS: VIEIRA, Soul Fire, Deep Dive
RACE 4 - 1:41PM West Adelaide Football Club Handicap (Heat Three National Jockeys Trust Series) (2500 METRES)
HASTA LA FIORENTE cost himself last time when he wanted to race keenly through the early and middle stages when runner-up behind Manzala. He was a good Murray Bridge winner three starts back, should be able to get a good run from barrier five and can bounce back to winning form here. EXALTED RUTH got well back before charging home late behind Ace Of Clubs at Murray Bridge last week. She gets back out to the 2500m and is in this very well with the claim for Sophie Logan. OURKHANI didn’t have a lot go right last time when shuffled back before getting home hard behind Rex Goliath when favourite. TURF MAN is mixing form but did beat Disco Rebel at Murray Bridge two runs back. KARAOKE EXPRESS is getting back to form and will win a race like this shortly, while ANNAMAN could run unto the multiples if we end up anywhere near a heavy track.
SELECTIONS: HASTA LA FIORENTE, Exalted Ruth, Ourkhani
RACE 5 - 2:21PM Schweppes Handicap (1600 METRES)
Two noted front runners TERRITORY TITAN and ANALYTICA drawing contrasting gates. TERRITORY TITAN is low flying and made it four on the bounce when he ran rivals ragged last time. He draws wide but will no doubt burn across and if he can find the lead will give them plenty to chase. He also boasts a slightly better record on wet tracks. ANALYTICA has been very good winning his past couple and he has the advantage of the inside gate. He raced outside BLOW TORCH last time and was too strong. KALAMON looms as the horse to benefit from the early speed battle. He’s won two of his past three at Balaklava by 10 and three lengths respectively and he looms as the one to get over the top of the leaders. As does SO WE ARE, who had very good specking ($9-$4.80) when she worked home OK behind ANALYTICA. Her best is certainly good enough to be a factor here. BLOW TORCH is another who likes to race handy to the speed and his overall form this time in has been solid and he may be able to box seat.
SELECTIONS: TERRITORY TITAN, Kalamon, Analytica
RACE 6 - 3:01PM Fleurieu Milk Company Handicap (1506 METRES)
ROTHMOORE loves the wet conditions and has been scratched a couple of times recently, waiting for some serious give in the track. He was too good for Classy Joe two runs back and looked like he was going to run past Territory Titan last time when he just peaked on his run late. MEEHNI looked good first-up from a spell coming off the speed and racing away to win by 2.6 lengths at Balaklava. He gets in well here with the Jess Eaton claim and is going to be right in this race. PUISSANCE DUSOLEIL is the fresh horse with plenty of upside. She was a winner here over 1550m in March and then placed behind the smart Perfect Route before stepping up to Listed and Group level against three-year-old fillies. She’s trialled well for her return but is likely to need a run. PEARL BANDIT draws a nice gate and ran really well first-up from a break, making ground behind Wounded Soldier. TABERNA ran well two starts back when she beat all by Sadente and got a long way back and struggled to make ground behind Territory Titan last time. LISETTE ran well first-up and her form last campaign was good for this class – plus Todd Pannell sticks with her. ONEMORE PRINCE is the interesting runner, a former New South Wales mare first-up for Darryl Carrison and has won two of her past three starts in the country earlier in the year.
SELECTIONS: ROTHMOORE, Meenhi, Pearl Bandit
RACE 7 - 3:41PM Spring Stakes (1200 METRES)
The track conditions will play a major role in the confidence levels here, but if the track stays in a soft 6 range I think BEHEMOTH will be too good. He’s back from a short break and there was a lot to like about both runs during the carnival. He pulled ground off Jungle Edge on a wet track in the McKay Stakes (which he has been subsequently awarded) and was huge in the Goodwood, coming from near last on the turn to run fourth behind Trekking, beaten just 2.3 lengths. He’s a very good horse with enormous upside and looked sharp in his trial. DALASAN has a good record on soft tracks with four wins and two placings, while his fresh record is also impressive (two wins from three starts) including this race last year where he ran down Scales Of Justice. He has to carry 6.5kg more than last year and I’m not sure how wound up he is based on a recent jump-out. KEMALPASA was one of the most improved horses in the state last season, winning the Durbridge and Lithgow Stakes before a super effort at the Gold Coast where he was beaten just three lengths behind Madame Rouge. He was sent straight to the paddock after failing behind Gytrash in the Irwin back in April when he pulled up sore. He trailed nicely behind Behemoth and is proven on a heavy track. MORE THAN EXCEED is a the fit horse, coming back to Adelaide after winning the Mildura Cup at Swan Hill last time. He’s three wins (and two placings) from five starts this track and loves the sting out of the ground. If we get a downgrade during the day his price will halve, especially from the inside gate. FOX HALL has a good first-up record winning two (placed two) of six starts and trialled OK at Balaklava behind BEHEMOTH. MORVADA is a nice horse and started to deliver last prep, winning at Caulfield and was runner-up at Group 3 level in the Shaftsbury Avenue at Flemington. His best form is at 1400m or further but he can run a cheeky race when fresh. There was plenty to like first-up about RAINMOTH, who showed speed and was only reeled in late by Octane, who has won at Flemington since. She’s probably going to be even more affective at 1400m and has upside, but no real form on a rain-affected track. EXTRA TIME profiles much like DALASAN, last year winning the Group 3 National Stakes last time out. He looks a genuine chance if the speed is on.
SELECTIONS: BEHEMOTH, Dalasan, More Than Exceed
RACE 8 - 4:21PM Furphy Handicap (1200 METRES)
Not a huge amount of confidence here but BEEOKAY should settle nice and handy to the lead from gate two and his recent form has been solid. He was placed behind Oh Mo three back, led and only reeled in late by The Difference before another solid run on a hot speed behind Silverhawk. Todd Pannell takes the ride and he’s going to be in the mix. SILVERHAWK was ridden back off a hot speed when he powered past rivals last time. He has mixed his form here in SA but draws well and should settle closer. DOUBLE BLUE rolled to the lead and bolted in by three lengths a fortnight back, and the third horse Promoter won well at Murray Bridge last weekend. He draws out, but must be respected. PERFECT COMMAND has good support in betting and boxed on OK behind Silverhawk after racing handy to a solid speed last time. He again draws well. JUST CHIPPING AWAY was a soft winner back in class at Bordertown last time. PIVOTAL FORCE is up in class but won well last time.
SELECTIONS: BEEOKAY, Silverhawk, Perfect Command
RACE 9 - 5:00PM M&J Chickens Handicap (1100 METRES)
Tricky race to finish the day, but I’m keen to stick with CHUCKY. He ran well at his first start back from a long lay-off, closing late to finish 1.3 lengths behind Masterati at Gawler. Chucky was competitive in a Redelva Stakes in his three-year-old season and looks a nice race for him to hit back in. NARRATIVE STAR returned to SA and got the job done at Gawler, and that form has been franked with Xingyum winning since. The blinkers go back on SONIC DEED and he was well backed here to run favourite two starts back. FRENCH ROCK ran on well behind Kingson last time and should get a nice run from the draw. VIVA VALENTINA hasn’t done a lot in two starts for Will Clarken and draws off the track. Watch the betting with the blinkers going back on, especially if horses are making ground out wide. GOODGEE ran well last time, closing late to just miss behind Domination at Balaklava.
SELECTIONS: CHUCKY, Narrative Star, French Rock
BEST BET: Hasta La Fiorente (Race 4)
EACH-WAY: Chucky (Race 9)
VALUE: Pearl Bandit (Race 6)
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