BEST BET: OATH OF OMERTA (Race 2)
EACH-WAY: VINDEX (Race 8)
ROUGHIE: HYPERCANE (Race 7)
RACE 1 - 12:55PM Bridge Carpet Court / SABOIS Two-Year-Old Plate (900 METRES)
Interesting opening race with only one of these having been to the official trials and that was DESIRED, who wasn’t asked to do a lot in a Gawler trial on Monday. Interesting preparation for her debut but the market has this one favourite and the McEvoy stable has an imposing record with its team here. ZUMA, from the Lloyd Kennewell stable at Caulfield, showed good improvement at his second jump-out and looks wound up for his first-up assignment. The Travis Doudle pair of ARTFUL FLYER and PRINCESS RAFFLES have both jumped out pretty well at Morphettville and draw nice gates. They ran to the line in their jump-out behind WITNESS GREATNESS, who is in the clever hands of Stephen Theodore and gets blinkers for his first start.
SELECTIONS: ZUMA, Desired, Witness Greatness
RACE 2 - 1:30PM Rural City of Murray Bridge - Make It Yours / SABOIS Maiden/Class 1 Plate (Heat 3 Skybeau Series) (2000 METRES)
OATH OF OMERTA created a big impression with his gritty Morphettville win on debut when he looked beaten and was headed, before fighting back to score. He bypassed last week’s Hill Smith Stakes for this and is nominated for the Victorian Derby. Looks hard to beat over the mile on his home track. PAY THE MAN was good behind Trip at Balaklava before getting a long way back on a soft track last time. Drawing out should suit and expect him to finish off strongly. KARPOOL KHAN ran really well behind Pearl Bandit in town before being well tried last time when third behind Happy Atom. He is sure to make his presence felt from a good barrier. MEADOWS YOUNG BUCK dominated on speed here two starts back before failing on a soft track last time. IRONICAL won well back sharply in class at Strathalbyn and was only fair last time.
SELECTIONS: OATH OF OMERTA, Pay The Man, Karpool Khan
RACE 3 - 2:05PM Spry Civil Construction / SABOIS Maiden Plate (1800 METRES)
Open race for a few potential staying types here. BIARCHI has ran well at his past couple and was backed into favourite at Gawler last time when runner-up behind Casino Seventeen, who went on to run a cheeky race in the Hill Smith Stakes last weekend. MR POCKET made good ground behind Around The Horn here at his second start in SA and looks a horse with staying promise. Has drawn a nice barrier. ANDAI STEPPES blew like the wind in betting on debut here behind stablemate Around The Horn but did his best work late to be beaten 4.7 lengths. Getting out to 1800m looks ideal and he’s had a Gawler trial since where he was run off his legs. He’s over the odds at $16. STERN IN GRINZING is on debut for Karen Byrnes and did run favourite at his last run for Jason Warren and Dean Krongold at Wodonga in Victoria. Keep an eye on betting. VARACALLI LAD ran well at a price here first-up from a spell.
SELECTIONS: BIARCHI, Andai Steppes, Mr Pocket
RACE 4 - 2:40PM Burke Urban/ SABOIS Maiden Plate (900 METRES)
NICCONI EXPRESS is a debutant for the McEvoy stable who was a $120,000 yearling purchase. He went to the line under a good hold at a recent Gawler trial and looks very well suited here for his first-up assignment. SHE’S KRUPT was placed at her first three starts and looked pretty forward for this when winning a recent Morphettville jump-out. MISS SIZZLER is on debut for Will Clarken and showed plenty of speed in a Gawler trial on Monday behind Livin’ Loose (who is an acceptor at Morphettville on Saturday). Stablemate NALEIGH was only beaten a tick over four lengths behind Yule My Hero back in March and wasn’t asked to do a lot in a Morphettville jump-out. DANTREE was good on debut, showing speed and sticking to the task when beaten less than a length behind Sitting Bull. MAJESTIC MISSLE is an ex-Lindsay Park galloper now with David Jolly. He’s been placed at three of seven and has been freshened back from 1300m to the 900m here. NORTHERN FACTOR has been placed twice in four starts here and is fresh for his return. ENLIST resumes, draws a good gate and Todd Pannell takes the ride.
SELECTIONS: NICCONI EXPRESS, Naleigh, She’s Krupt
RACE 5 - 3:15PM Riverscape Food & Wine / SABOIS Maiden Plate (1400 METRES)
WHO RUNS THE WORLD has a handy record and hasn’t done a lot wrong in all seven starts without winning. She was runner-up behind Allez Sur Le Gris at Gawler four starts back before jumping in the deep end in the Oaklands. She draws well and won’t get too many better chances. CLUB DOUBLE has been placed at his past two behind Talamo and The Olympian, which is a strong pointer for this, but faces a sticky wide gate. CHRYSOS is a McEvoy debutant who has trialled twice. He wasn’t far away in a Morphettville trial in April and was tuned up for this at Gawler recently when not asked to do a lot. GRACIEBIRD faces a wide gate but has form around some smart horses like The Krone and Instant Celebrity. ADVENTURE WORLD is a German-bred five-year-old making his Australian debut for Michael Hickmott after two stats at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. He looked OK in a Gawler trial on Monday and must be kept safe. MIRKWOOD FORREST is a Stokes runner over from Victoria and looks an improver in this sort of class.
SELECTIONS: WHO RUNS THE WORLD, Graciebird, Adventure World
RACE 6 - 3:50PM Total Workforce Solutions Benchmark 62 Handicap (Heat 4 Riziz Series) (1000 METRES)
BRAY STREET BOSS has won three of eight and won his only start here, beating Triple Deez and Rock Harbour, before heading to Ballarat and winning on a heavy track back in May. He’s trialled nicely for his return, winning a Gawler trial on Monday. CUBAN TOONITE is a former Lindsay Park galloper now with Sue and Jason Jaensch. Todd Pannell taking the ride is a nice guide and keep an eye on any betting moves. SITTING BULL is lightly-raced, was good winning first-up from a spell and looks to have some real upside. BEERMINT is unbeaten in two runs here and was too good for The Difference over this trip here four starts back. He draws a nice gate and is sure to be in the finish. DOMINATION is a speedy customer who can run some bold races on speed.
SELECTIONS: BRAY STREET BOSS, Cuban Toonite, Sitting Bull
RACE 7 - 4:25PM Carlton Draught Murray Bridge Gold Cup (1600 METRES)
Really strong edition of the Cup. WINNING PARTNER comes off an impressive Balaklava Cup win when he settled off the speed and powered over the top of rivals. He should be able to work across in a similar spot here and is going to be right in the finish again. Local horseman Michael Hickmott has two key runners: AQUEDUCT chasing his fourth win from as many starts in Australia and DANON ROMAN, who is an ex-Freedman galloper first-up in SA. AQUEDUCT maps well to be on speed and free rolling in the lead, the jump to the mile shouldn’t worry him. DANON ROMAN in contrast faces a tricky wide gate but has the blinkers back on. Todd Pannell rides and he’ll get his chance around the spacious track. I think HYPERCANE is the real value down the bottom. He’s lightly-raced but has form around Persan and Game Keeper. The jump from 1250m to 1600m is a slight concern but he draws a nice gate and is over the odds. Stablemate REGALO DI GAETANO is another who will appreciate getting out to the mile. He was very good when getting over the top of rivals last time and will be hitting the line strongly. WINGS OF PASTRAMI was solid behind AQUEDUCT at Morphettville last time, is third up and she is above average. She’ll get a nice run from the inside gate and will be there at the business end. ANALYTICA ran really well in the Balaklava Cup and must be respected, as did EAST INDIAMAN, who finished off well late and draws a good gate.
SELECTIONS: WINNING PARTNER, Hypercane, Danon Roman
RACE 8 - 5:00PM BGC Industrial Cleaning Supplies Rating 0-58 Handicap (1200 METRES)
VINDEX has never missed a cheque here and he was too good for Twice Forgotten two starts back before covering ground and closing strongly late behind that horse last time. He draws a nice gate and looks hard to beat. BRIMARVI ROOBOY is a placed at three of six starts here and was a Gawler winner four starts back. LANCESTER SOUND finished off OK behind Fearless Vision at Morphettville last time and will appreciate getting out in trip and the spacious Bridge track. ICHIBANSAN is lightly-raced but in very good hands and drawn a nice gate for this. CANIDAE is racing well but poorly drawn and this is slightly harder.
SELECTIONS: VINDEX, Brimarvi Rooboy, Ichibansan
RACE 9 - 5:30PM CGU Benchmark 64 Handicap (Heat 3 Happy Trails Series) (1400 METRES)
The McEvoy stable looks to hold the key in this open final race on the card. High-priced colt HALOGEN showed solid improvement here last time when he controlled the speed and scored a 3.7-length win over Mustari. He draws to be handy to the speed, Barend Vorster has opted to stick with him and he is the top pick. CHIEF OF ARMY had trialled well before heading to Oakbank on debut and defeating Sarnia. Jason Holder takes the ride, leaving Todd Pannell to ride the third of the stable runners, WEDGETAIL, who had very good backing but was never a factor behind Masterati at Balaklava and the blinkers are back off. SILVERHAWK has been racing well for the Clarken team and did win consecutive races in town. Gets in well with the claim. EXALTED TRAVELLER has placed at three of three starts here and stuck on strongly behind Ritratto at Morphettville last time and the winner has won again since. KITTY DAMOUR was a real eye-catcher at her SA debut closing smartly late behind the in-form Trip at Morphettville on the Parks track, she’s poorly drawn but impossible to overlook. RAPID RAISER has won two of five here but drawn slightly awkward. MAGNETIC EDGE had specking at a price and wasn’t beaten far behind Vancity Gem. SKILLED BUNCH is a winner here and defeated Annika at Morphettville two back before a plain effort at Balaklava. FRIDAY FUNDAY is an interesting runner a former Hayes horse who has trialled well for his local debut for Aimee Bush. AMBIDAZZLE could be an improver here.
SELECTIONS: HALOGEN, Wedgetail, Exalted Traveller