Skip to Content

April 2020

  • Media Release: SA’s Autumn Racing Carnival secures live national coverage

    South Australia’s Autumn Racing Carnival will be broadcast live and free to homes across the country this year, under an arrangement between Thoroughbred Racing SA’s (TRSA) vision rights holder Racing.com and Channel 7. In partnership with Racing.com, Channel 7 will bring viewers the Carnival’s three feature race days at Morphettville...

    Read more

  • TAB Classic an irresistible puzzle

    The presence of champion mare Sunlight, the X-factor provided by star two-year-old Away Game, the quality of the rest of the field, plus the prospect of a wet track combine to make Saturday’s 2020 TAB Classic (Sangster Stakes) an irresistible puzzle for racing purists and punters alike. With $6.5 million...

    Read more

  • Key form lines converge for a cracking Oaks

    Several key form lines converge for South Australia’s first Group 1 race of the year: a cracking edition of the Schweppes Oaks for three-year-old fillies over 2000m at Morphettville on Saturday. The Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) at Morphettville on April 18 is a major form reference, as is the...

    Read more

  • Top 2YO, Holder and Dalasan share spotlight

    Ecumenical is a very good two-year-old, Jason Holder is on fire, and Dalasan is a deserved SA Derby favourite – but Warning might be well named. They were among the major take-home messages from Saturday’s black-type lined SA metropolitan meeting, shared between the Morphettville main track and the Parks course....

    Read more

  • YOUR chance to win on The Greatest Goodwood

    Past winners of SA’s most prestigious race are being brought together for The Greatest Goodwood – and by picking the first six across the line YOU could win a fabulous prize worth over $2600.  Thoroughbred Racing South Australia (TRSA) is launching The Greatest Goodwood competition Tuesday morning at 8am: a...

    Read more

  • Top jock reaches out to Jacob, whose focus shifts from Mt Gambier to Gawler

    A supportive text message from a high-profile Sydney jockey and some wise fatherly advice have helped 16-year-old apprentice jockey Jacob Opperman move on from a challenging first day at work. Jacob hit the headlines on Wednesday when his dream debut ride at Mount Gambier turned sour, through no fault of...

    Read more

  • It’s Dalasan vs Warning…plus a few others?

    VRC Derby winner Warning looms as the main stumbling block to SA star Dalasan claiming the middle leg of Adelaide’s three-year-old staying treble in the Furphy Chairman’s Stakes at Morphettville tomorrow – but the race contains more depth than early markets might suggest. Following his convincing win in the Port...

    Read more

  • Breeders’ Stakes boast strong field of potential stars

    A strong field of potential stars will launch Saturday’s Morphettville program in the $120,000 Group 3 Breeders’ Stakes over 1200m. The black-type event – race 1 on the program – will be one of two on the main Morphettville track, along with race 9. Likely favourite is Anthony Freedman-trained Charm...

    Read more

  • Winning hopes galore in pair of Listed 1400m races

    In addition to its two Group 3 races, Saturday’s quality-packed Morphettville Parks meeting features a pair of excellent Listed events, both over 1400m. Race 5 on the nine-race program will be the HC Nitschke Stakes for three-year-olds, while race 8 is the Holdfast Insurance City of Adelaide open handicap. Henry...

    Read more

  • For Hannah, it’s all about the horses

    A simple love of horses – nurtured from an early age – is driving Hannah Matthews’ ambition for a career in the thoroughbred racing industry. Hannah, 19, is a deputy race-day steward with Thoroughbred Racing SA, working two to three days a week at various metropolitan and provincial meetings across...

    Read more

  • Familiar name/new face to debut at Mount Gambier

    A familiar surname will appear on the Mount Gambier form guide this Wednesday – but in a different column. Sixteen-year-old Jacob Opperman, son of established Mount Gambier trainer Jamie Opperman, will have his first-ever race ride, on his home track. One – Redeeka – will be for his proud father,...

    Read more

  • Stablemates a highlight, while G1-bound fillies do battle

    Sprinter Gytrash put on a star turn, as did his trainer, while a stack of emerging three-year-old fillies paraded their credentials for Group 1 glory next month at Saturday’s exciting Morphettville program. The buzz created by Gytrash in the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) rippled across Australia, as Gordon...

    Read more

  • Sunlight-Gytrash to kick-start SA carnival early

    The clash between star sprinters Gytrash and Sunlight in tomorrow’s Group 3 Furphy Irwin Stakes marks the unofficial start of the 2020 Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival. Though the carnival’s Group 1 days begin on Saturday, May 2, tomorrow’s racing – particularly the 1100m Irwin Stakes – oozes class. The reappearance...

    Read more

  • Racing to return to Mount Gambier

    The Mount Gambier Racing Club will next week host its first meeting since early December. In order to allow the track to consolidate, the previous three meeting scheduled for Mount Gambier were transferred to other South-East tracks. However, the green light has officially been given for the seven-race meeting next...

    Read more

  • James Jordan's Irwin Stakes Preview

    What a cracking edition of this Group 3 sprint we have before us. Two legitimate Group 1 horses and a host of others on the rung below looking to assert themselves as chances in the headline races later in the carnival. Below are my thoughts on each of the runners...

    Read more

  • Xilong heads deep field of 3YO sprinters in Redelva Stakes

    A ripper field of promising three-year-old sprinters, headed by filly Xilong, has assembled for the Listed Winning Edge Presentation Redelva Stakes over 1100m at Morphettville tomorrow. In another mouth-watering entrée to the upcoming 2020 Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival, Xilong is among the top fancies, after a cracking third behind star...

    Read more

  • For Listed-winner Lachy, a week is a long time in racing…

    The wheel can turn rapidly – and with a sense of irony – in thoroughbred racing. Take Lachy Neindorf’s past fortnight. At Morphettville on April 4 the star apprentice managed to fulfil all his riding commitments, despite clipping heels and half-falling/half-jumping from a mount mid-meeting. Seven days later, he benefited...

    Read more

  • 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...

    Read more

  • Away Game adds further lustre to TAB Classic (Sangster Stakes)

    A cracking renewal of the Group 1 TAB Classic (Sangster Stakes) at Morphettville is looming on May 2 following news star 2YO Away Game is targeting the 1200m classic. Away Game – winner of $2.7 million already – scored a decisive win in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes at...

    Read more

  • Bella and Lachie star on action-packed day at The Parks

    Bella Vella was brilliant, jockey Lachie Neindorf had a career-best day, and two of his colleagues were also prominent during an action-packed day of racing at Morphettville Parks on Saturday. The nine-race card was highlighted by Bella Vella’s brilliant win in the Listed Hills Lightning Stakes (1000m), when the Will...

    Read more

  • Behemoth’s giant quest to go one better starts today

    The unlucky runner in last year’s Goodwood will step up his crusade to go one better in 2020 at today’s Morphettville trials. Behemoth finished a narrow second behind Despatch in the 2019 edition of SA’s headline race, after enduring a chequered path up the Morphettville straight. Local trainer David Jolly’s...

    Read more

  • Make Easter 2020 memorable – for the right reasons

    Easter 2020 will be a little bit different to what we’re used to – but it can still be a fun, family holiday weekend. The answer to making Easter 2020 memorable for the right reasons is simple: creativity. Colouring in competition:  Keep the kids busy with our Stable Stars Easter...

    Read more

  • In-form speedsters clash in relocated Listed sprint

    A small but select field, including a couple of brilliant last-start winners, will contest the Listed – and relocated – Furphy Stakes (registered as the Hills Railway Stakes) at Morphettville Parks on Saturday. Due to COVIT-19 conditions, the race has been transferred from Oakbank to the city venue, with the...

    Read more

  • Farooq looks fine for Penola Cup

    Farooq will start warm favourite to land another South-East feature for Naracoorte trainer Sue Murphy in Sunday’s $22,500 DiGiorgio Family Wines Penola Cup over 2100m. Farooq has been in fine form since resuming from a long break on New Year’s Day this year, highlighted by a win over 1600m at...

    Read more

  • Media Release: Apprentice Jerry Chau to return to Hong Kong

    Apprentice jockey Jerry Chau will return from South Australia to Hong Kong after being granted permission to ride by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). Chau, who arrived in SA in early 2019 and has ridden 62 winners this season, will ride in Hong Kong – pending a satisfactory mandatory...

    Read more