Blinkers to help Sunlight focus in 2020 The Goodwood

Multiple Group 1 winning mare Sunlight will wear the blinkers for the first time when she steps out in the Group 1 $400,000 The Furphy Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

Sunlight, above, will wear the blinkers for the first time in The Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Sunlight ran the worst race of her brilliant career when she failed to beat a runner home in the sixteen horse field of the Group 1 $400,000 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 2.

Tony McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his son Calvin, is desperate for Sunlight to turn her form around and said the filly worked strongly with the blinkers on at Flemington on Monday morning.

“Sunlight will wear blinkers for the first time on Saturday,” McEvoy told racing.com.

“At Flemington this morning Jamie Kah galloped her on the course proper for me in blinkers and she worked as she normally does, very sharp.

“We are not asking for improvement, we are asking for focus.”

Sunlight was given the once over after he failure in the Robert Sangster Stakes and nothing could be found amiss and McEvoy is expecting her to return to best form in The Goodwood.

“I think the mare is going very well,” McEvoy said.

“I didn’t see that coming last week (in the Sangster), it really knocked the wind out of our sails.

“I’m so pleased there is nothing amiss with her and she just had a day off, she’s in great order.”

Sunlight was always wide in the Robert Sangster Stakes after jumping from gate fourteen in the sixteen horse field but this week Barend Vorster will be able to give her every chance after she draw barrier three in the fifteen horse The Goodwood field.

Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au are still keeping Sunlight fairly safe in the betting and have marked her at $9 while the local Adelaide star sprinter Gytrash has been installed as the favourite at $3.50.

Jason Holder has retained the mount on Gytrash after guiding him to a three lengths win in the Group 3 $120,000 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on April 18 and the Gordon Richards trained sprinter will jump from gate twelve.

The Anthony Freedman trained Santa Ana Lane is looking to win his second The Goodwood after claiming the trophy in 2018 an will jump from barrier ten with Group 1 Schweppes Oaks winning jockey Damien Thornton in the saddle.

Santa Ana Lane is the second pick in the betting at $7 just ahead of Trekking at $7.50 and The Inevitable at $8.

Betting for the 2020 The Goodwood at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.50 Gytrash, $7 Santa Ana Lane, $7.50 Trekking, $8 The Inevitable, $9 Sunlight, $13 Order Of Command, $14 Behemoth, Lyre, $17 Xilong, $18 Zoutori, $21 Jungle Edge, $41 Bold Star, $81 Free Of Debt, Amberdi, Li’l Kontra.

Final field for the 2020 The Goodwood (1200m)

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