BEST BET: CALL ME SHAMUS (Race 3)
EACH-WAY: ZAKHEERA (Race 2)
VALUE: PAGHMAN (Race 7)
RACE 1 - 12:36PM Stuart Nunn's 70th Maiden Plate (1000 METRES)
THREE KINGS looks hard to beat here on debut for the McEvoy stable. He won an Oakbank trial by 4.8 lengths and looks pretty forward for his debut. DIVINA CALLE looks the danger, from the Mark Kavanagh stable. She has jumped out pretty well at Flemington and has been kept very safe in the market. CHAMPAGNE DREAMS has jumped out OK at Strathalbyn. John Hyam has TAVIKAT and CHARM SLINGA on debut. They both jumped out OK at Morphettville last month. Gordon Richards has three runners here. JIMMYS EDGE battled on debut behind the smart Gulf Of Suez, VOODOO MOON was fair in a recent jump out while WHEELS OF COURAGE has come up the shortest in betting and did jump-out at Morphettville way back in October before leading throughout to win a recent jump-out there.
SELECTIONS: THREE KINGS, Divina Calle, Wheels Of Courage
RACE 2 - 1:11PM Dominant Maiden Plate (1000 METRES)
ZAKHEERA was scratched from Murray Bridge last weekend and has the benefit of two trials after winning here in early February. She draws a good gate which could prove a big factory here with some leading hopes drawn out wide. VIRTUE was solid in the market and led before she was reeled in late by Great Diviner last time. She draws wide which hasn’t helped her claims but must be given plenty of thought. JONQUEST resumes here and caught the eye on debut behind Shojiki before showing speed running second to Frankie Pinot. He was spelled after his latest run but draws an inside gate and must be respected. A BIT RACEY draws a nice gate and was good behind Spiriting at Balaklava last weekend. KONG has had four jump-outs leading into his debut.
SELECTIONS: ZAKHEERA, Virtue, Jonquest
RACE 3 - 1:46PM Barossa Fine Foods Handicap (1550 METRES)
CALL ME SHAMUS was good when winning first-up from a break, then sat off the speed and was too good for Echo Boomer here last time. He’s got plenty of weight but will get a lovely run from barrier three. ECHO BOOMER will get a gun run from the inside gate and was a good winner here before joining the Ryan Balfour stable and running well behind Call Me Shamus. The claim is a big advantage here. CROWN HARMONIUM got a long way back but finished off well behind Unlaced last time. FAST PLAN was well backed two runs back behind Puissance Dusoleil, then had specking last time behind Unlaced. The $17 could be value there.
SELECTIONS: CALL ME SHAMUS, Echo Boomer, Fast Plan
RACE 4 - 2:26PM 36° South Beef Handicap (2400 METRES)
Open race on paper. NIGHT PASSAGE looks to be searching for this trip after making good ground behind Larrikin at Sandown last time. He draws out but has the blinkers off and his best would take him a long way to winning this. AZZUREOUS is on the back-up from his blow out win at big odds at Murray Bridge last week, he’s a stayer on the up. TABLE OF WISDOM was well backed when fifth in the KI Cup last time. This looks much more suitable than Monday’s Adelaide Cup. FAIRLIGHT is racing well and should get a nice run from a good gate. STAN THE CADDY will like getting out to 2400m. MR COYNE is on the back-up from Wednesday when he was only fair behind Master Of Zerprise.
SELECTIONS: NIGHT PASSAGE, Azzureous, Table of Wisdom
RACE 5 - 3:06PM TAB Adelaide Cup Day - Monday March 8 Handicap (1250 METRES)
ANNIKA was good back in class when she led and won easily this track and trip. She draws out but will make her own luck and looks the one they have to beat. BORN TO PLAY looks a danger. She was a good Murray Bridge winner before a break and won a recent Oakbank trial ahead of her return. She draws the inside and is sure to be in the finish. IMPOSSIBLE ACTION will get a nice run from a good barrier and hasn’t been far away behind Echoes In Eternity and Ocean Reward his past couple. LOAD AND GO stuck on OK last time behind Larkham but faces a sticky wide gate.
SELECTIONS: ANNIKA, Born To Play, Impossible Action
Race 6 - 3:46PM Adelaide Galvanising Handicap (1400 METRES)
MR RAIKKONEN was an easy Wangaratta maiden winner earlier this prep and was good at Moonee Valley, making ground two starts back. He’ll get a nice run from a good gate and the 1400m appeals. He’s a clear top pick with the dangers both scratched. MACCABEE has tackled some handy types in Victoria and has the benefit of a couple of trials, the latest running second behind smart filly Mileva at Oakbank. Stablemate ZOIST finished third in the same trial and was a Murray Bridge winner back in September. The third of the McEvoy team is SPECTACLE who was second at Ballarat back in September before a break. She won a recent Oakbank trial. CALL ME ARCHER should get a nice run from an inside gate.
SELECTIONS: MR RAIKKONEN, Zoist, Spectacle
RACE 7 - 4:26PM Chapel Hill Handicap (1400 METRES)
ANGASTON has a great record over the 1400m trip and maps perfectly from barrier two. He was heavily backed to win at Pakenham two starts back before a solid effort behind Lord Vladivostok last time. LAKE’S FOLLY was good winning first-up in SA, then solid behind Ironclad two starts back. She’s drawn a sticky gate but looks well suited in this company. TERRITORY TITAN is another who races well here. His best form is over a mile, but he’s fresh and has the advantage of an inside gate. GIGGLON made ground behind Renegade last week at Murray Bridge and is helped with a claim. PAGHMAN could be an improver here second-up for the Clarken stable. He has drawn wide which isn’t ideal. JESTER HALO is never far away and draws to be in a handy spot from gate five.
SELECTIONS: ANGASTON, Paghman, Lake’s Folly
RACE 8 - 5:01PM Furphy Handicap (1400 METRES)
ARRIVA DIVA has won two of her past three, the latest after leading throughout at Benalla. She draws to again lead and should give them something to chase here with the Will Price claim. NEODIUM maps well from barrier two and was good winning at Strathalbyn before jumping favourite behind Heavy Rotation last time. GOUGERS has a handy record here and was game last time when only just reeled in at a price behind Lord Vladivostok. He’ll make his own luck from a sticky gate and has each-way appeal. MY GOLDEN CHAIN hasn’t done a lot wrong in two starts but draws poorly. Likewise MAGIC DEE faces a tricky gate but has been racing OK for this, while VIDUKA has been placed at four of seven starts here but draws wide.
SELECTIONS: ARRIVA DIVA, Gougers, Neodium
RACE 9 - 5:41PM RDC Partners Handicap (1000 METRES)
APPALACHIAN’S best form would be good enough to win this and she was narrowly beaten into fourth here two runs back. She’s a horse who needs luck but possesses a brilliant turn of foot and will be flashing late. LARKHAM was impressive first-up from a spell, leading throughout at Morphettville. He’s poorly drawn here but gets in well with the claim for Jacob Opperman and will be in the finish. NARRATIVE STAR was a good winner at Gawler last time. This is a rise in class but she must be respected. GIMME THE GOSS was on speed when a Terang winner last time out. She’s won three of 13 and maps well from a good gate. MRS HYDE will make the speed from barrier six and is a winner here. She’ll be hard to run down with the help of a claim. CHUCKY has ability and draws a tricky gate, but will be finishing off strongly. FABULOUS FLIPPER was a winner here last start and must be respected.
SELECTIONS: APPALACHIAN, Larkham, Narrative Star
Image: Call Me Shamus is Lincoln Moore’s best bet at Saturday’s Morphettville Parks program.
