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Goodwood Day preview

Saturday May 18 will see the running of The Goodwood at Morphettville - the last of the Group 1 races for the Autumn Carnival in South Australia. 

Booker  

Matthew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Dwayne Dunn

Distance: 9:1-3-1 | Biggest Win: 2019 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m)

Comes into the Goodwood first-up after a spell like he did when he won the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in February this year. She beat Spright by two lengths in that race. Flies fresh winning three from five first-up and has a pretty solid record over 1200m. Dwayne Dunn jumps aboard for the first time since the two combined to win the Group 2 Kevin Hayes Stakes in February last year.

Spright

Garry Frazer | Damien Oliver

Distance: 15:4-2-2 | Biggest Win: 2019 Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m)

The Sangster winner is hoping to emulate the success of Black Caviar when she claimed the South Australian Group 1 sprint double in 2012. Has drawn wide again which won’t phase her as she’ll look to fly home late like she did in the Sangster. Strong favourite with the TAB and looks a big show once again with Damien Oliver in the saddle. 

Despatch

Tony McEvoy | Todd Pannell

Distance: 1:0-0-0 | Biggest Win: 2019 Group 3 McKay Stakes (1100m)

The four-year-old boasts a 60% career winning strike rate but this is the biggest test in his short career. Last year’s winner Santa Ana Lane came through the McKay Stakes like Despatch did a fortnight ago. The only query will be the distance. He’s only ever run over 1200m once which was in last year’s Euclase Stakes where he finished fifth. Vorster elects to ride the stablemate Cool Passion over him, so Todd Pannell takes the ride.

Hard Empire

Richard & Chantelle Jolly | Jake Toeroek

Distance: 10:4-1-2 | Biggest Win: 2019 Group 3 Irwin Stakes (1100m)

Was quite disappointing last start in the McKay Stakes but statistically isn’t great second-up. Races well third-up with two wins and a third from four starts and loves the Morphettville 1200m with two wins and three placings here. An outsider but some improvement wouldn’t surprise.

Casino Wizard

Lee Creek | Jason Holder

Distance: 27:9-2-5 | Biggest Win: 2018 Listed Durbridge Stakes (1200m)

Ran third in the 2017 edition behind Black Heart Bart and while he hasn’t run into the placings in his last seven starts, he hasn’t been too far away in his two last start runs. Drops back from 1400m to 1200m for this which is a bit unusual but you can never write this guy off. Always gives his all.

Steel Frost

Will Clarken | Jamie Kah

Distance: 10:2-0-1 | Biggest Win: 2018 Listed City of Adelaide Stakes (1400m)

It’s been over a year since his last win, which was the start before he ran sixth in last year’s Goodwood. Couldn’t catch Hard Empire in the Irwin Stakes in April and last start ran fifth in the Listed Wangoom. Might need a bit of Jamie Kah magic to help his chances on Saturday.  

Valour Road

Simon Miller | Luke Currie

Distance: 5:3-0-0 | Biggest Win: 2019 Group 2 Euclase Stakes (1200m)

Was too good for them in the Euclase Stakes a fortnight ago after a big push from his trainer Simon Miller. This is a step up here but it’s hard to fault that last run. Ran fifth in the Group 1 Winterbottom late last year and if he can get forward from Barrier 9 could give them something to chase down.

Cool Passion

Tony McEvoy | Barend Vorster

Distance: 11:5-3-1 | Biggest Win: 2018 Group 3 Maybe Mahal Stakes (1400m)

Was huge out in front in the Sangster last start but just couldn’t hold off the fast finishing Spright. Will get every chance to lead again from Barrier 2 and Vorster elects to ride him over the stablemate. He has an outstanding record over 1200m, only missing a placing twice from eleven starts. If he can sneak a cheap lead at the turn, he might be able to win this.

Malibu Style

Neville Parnham | Chris Parnham

Distance: 24:1-4-5 | Biggest Win: 2018 Listed Doveton Stakes (1000m) 

The Perth sprinter has had a lot of his success over 1000m and only the one win over 1200m from 24 starts. He was impressive though in his last start in the Wangoom where he ran on strongly to finish second to I Am Someone. Drops weight off that run and if he can do something similar on Saturday he could sneak a place.

Iconoclasm

Danny O’Brien | Craig Williams

Distance: 5:1-0-1 | Biggest Win: 2018 Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) 

The four-year-old has won eight of its 16 career starts however, seven of them have been over further than 1200m. He’s got plenty of class which was evident in his solid run in the Group 1 Cantala Stakes last year over the mile but the question mark will be his ability to match some of these over 1200m. Will be flashing home late from Barrier 12 and gets Craig Williams on which is a plus.

I Am Someone

Paul Preusker | Dean Holland

Distance: 4:2-0-0 | Biggest Win: 2019 Listed Wangoom Stakes (1200m) 

The Wangoom winner was absolutely massive from the tail of the field recording a one length victory over Malibu Style and has had a super consistent career so far. He’s drawn nicely here and Dean Holland will be hoping to win his second career Group 1 here, nine years after winning his first in the SA Oaks.

Inn Keeper

Symon Wilde | Damien Thornton

Distance: 6:3-0-1 | Biggest Win: 2018 Gold Topaz (1200m) 

The lightly raced five-year-old has never won a black-type race but does boast two placings in Group 3 sprints. This is only his third start in 2019 and while he’s not run into a placing yet, he’s two from two third-up and has some scope for improvement off his Wangoom run. 

Zalmona

Peter Blanch | Paul Gatt

Distance: 17:3-4-8 | Biggest Win: 2018 BM82 (1050m) 

Ridiculously consistent local with one win and eight placings from his last ten starts. He’s lost his last two starts by less than half a length each time to Despatch. He gets a 2kg weight swing on that horse here and with a fantastic record over the 1200m at $61 he’s a genuine chance to run into the placings.

Jamaican Rain

Richard Laming | Tegan Harrison

Distance: 5:3-0-1 | Biggest Win: 2019 Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m)  

Has had a nice freshen up since running 12th in the Group 1 Coolmore over 1500m on a heavy track at Rosehill. She’s an enigma who can win on any surface and when she wins, has a history of putting her rivals away by multiple lengths. Queensland jockey Tegan Harrison will make the trip down to ride the mare and is a huge each-way chance here.

Gytrash

Gordon Richards | Dom Tourneur

Distance: 2:0-0-2 | Biggest Win: 2019 BM82 (1050m) 

One of SA’s most talented three-year-olds will face the biggest test of his short career. He has a great turn of foot and has never missed the placings in his ten career starts. Perhaps a slight query over the 1200m and the wide draw but will be one to watch in the future.

Behemoth

David Jolly | Anthony Darmanin

Distance: 3:1-1-0 | Biggest Win: 2018 BM70 (1200m) 

Never threatened in the Euclase getting too far back when well supported but will take plenty from that run. Was huge when he missed Humma Humma first-up in the Redelva and finished third behind Cool Passion and Sunlight in a Gawler trial last month. Got talent and could surprise a few here.

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