A capacity field looks set for tomorrow’s Skybeau Stayers Series Final at Morphettville. The biggest day on the Australian racing calendar has seen huge fields across the Adelaide card and if you think it’s going to be tough to find a winner in the big race, the Stayers Series Final looks just as tough!
The field features seven last start winners along with eight last start placegetters so it’s fair to say the majority of the field is in very good form.
The form horse of the field looks to be Wasabi Bob. He’s finished in the placings in all of his last five starts and if not for Raquel Clark’s 1.5kg claim he would be close to carrying the grandstand on Tuesday. He’s won two out of three races over the 2000m at Morphettville which includes his last start win with Clark on board a fortnight ago. The Clark/Macdonald-Gluyas combination has been in red-hot form of late and he’ll be a big chance on Tuesday.
Shayne Cahill’s Burn Off won the Listed Hill Smith Stakes over 1800m against Stars of Carrum who’s since gone on to win the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase and run second in the Group 1 Victorian Derby. That formline looks absolutely amazing for this race and while it is a bit tougher for the three-year-old against the older horses, he’s in great condition and should get a nice steer from Georgina Cartwright from Barrier 7.
Daktari defeated Burn Off last start over 1950m by two lengths after a very nice ride from Raquel Clark. With Clark riding Wasabi Bob, Anna Jordsjo will take the ride on Daktari. She’ll have to contend with a tricky barrier but he won with plenty in the tank in his last start and will go in as one of the favourites off the back off that win.
Roselli Sting and I Have Arrived also ran on strongly in that race and while they finished three lengths off Daktari, they both receive a positive swing in the weights off the quinella and will be chances if they gain a start in the final field.
A runner in last year’s Victorian Derby, Johnny Vinko, has won two on the trot in looks in great touch. He’ll get the services of senior jockey, Jason Holder and you always have to respect any of the Busuttin/Young horses when they come to Adelaide.
Sweet Mischief is another who has won two on the trot and the Tony McEvoy stable is flying all around the country. The mare ran ninth in last year’s Victorian Oaks and has taken a while for her to really hit her straps but her last two wins have been very solid and while this is a bit of step-up in class she’s definitely in the right stable and has the right jockey in Jamie Kah on board.
The Gatting Ball has been very consistent in races around the 2000m mark recently. He’s been a runner-up in his last two runs by less than a neck and Darren Weir always places his horses so well when he brings them here to SA.
While they may not be favoured in the market, horses like Duquessa, Sanima Star and Chu Chu Charlie all have good records over the distance and in a massive field like this, you can’t write them off for a place chance at big odds.
