Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea have opted for Adelaide in preference to an interstate return with in-form mare Episodic on Saturday.
Episodic won three consecutive races in South Australia before she was narrowly beaten at Caulfield but a slightly awkward barrier and suitable option at home will see her step out at Morphettville.
“She’s drawn a sticky gate and there looked to be a lack of tempo in the race,’’ Clarken and O’Shea’s Racing Manager Lachlan Weekley said.
“She looks to have a similar chance here in Adelaide, so that was the reason for staying here,’’ he said.
Blake Shinn will ride stablemate Extremely Lucky who returns to Melbourne on the back of an eye-catching effort when beaten 1.2 lengths behind La Danseuse Rouge at Caulfield.
“We would have preferred him drawing out rather than barrier two, but we have one of the best riding in Blake Shinn and he can take care of that,’’ Weekley said.
The stable hold a narrow lead in the SA Metropolitan Trainer’s Premiership and Episodic will be trying to enhance that lead when she lines-up along stablemate Sweet Baby Boom in a strong 1200m race at Morphettville.
Clarken and O’Shea hold a one-win buffer over the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable who will also have two chances in race in the form of the Price Bloodstock pair - Keep Reading and Losesomewinmore.
Both horses come back to Adelaide after good Melbourne runs, Losesomewinmore winning at Flemington two runs back before he was beaten under three lengths last time out while Keep Reading scored first-up in Adelaide before he was beaten 2.6 lengths in the La Danseuse Rouge race at Caulfield last time out.
Apprentice Felicity Atkinson has been booked to ride Keep Reading while Jess Eaton has picked up the ride on Losesomewinmore from a wide barrier.
