Morphettville race-by-race preview & quaddie | April 27, 2024

Race 1: 0-68 Handicap (1100m)

Aviatress is set to return from a 24-week spell on Saturday and if the three-year-old filly produces anything close to what she did in her initial campaign, she should prove too classy for her rivals. The Smart Missile progeny was last seen finishing fourth in the Group 3 Red Roses Stakes (1100m) down the Flemington straight when racing in restricted room in the concluding stages. Jake Toeroek will need a touch of luck in the home straight from barrier two, but if the gaps come, Aviatress has a slick turn of foot and she should prove too hard to hold out.

• 12
  

  AVIATRESS

• 5
  

  MEETMEINMELBOURNE

• 11
  

  WALLY WEST

• 2
  

  DECLARED

Race 2: Group 3 Breeders’ Stakes (1200m)

In the juvenile feature of the day, the Richard & Chantelle Jolly-trained Karavas looks poised to strike second-up from a spell. The two-year-old filly was hitting the line strongly over 1000m when unable to run down Lincolnshire who gained the perfect run in transit. As the Alabama Express filly steps up to the 1200m for the first time, she has show signs that this trip will suit her perfectly considering the way she finishes off her races. With a strong finishing burst, Karavas can claim her second Group success at just start four.

• 7
  

  KARAVAS

• 1
  

  GROWING EMPIRE

• 8
  

  PURE AQUA

• 11
  

  KAHDIME

Race 3: Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m)

Warmonger produced a thunderous finish over 1800m when going down to Air Assault by the barest of margins when the pair clashed on April 13. The three-year-old gelding looks set to turn the tables on his rival as they step up to 2000m in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes. Damian Lane hops back on board after riding him in four of his six career starts, for two successes. The son of War Decree will be in the second-half of the field, but on the back of a genuinely run affair, Warmonger has the finish to blouse his rivals.

• 3
  

  WARMONGER

• 1
  

  AIR ASSAULT

• 2
  

  BOLD SOUL

• 4
  

  SHINJUKU

Race 4: Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1200m)

Press Down was only beaten 1.4 lengths in Group 3 company on April 13 by Benedetta and Climbing Star, who both go around in the Robert Sangster later in the day as strong market fancies. The four-year-old gelding was forced to travel four and five wide with no cover the trip, yet still had the audacity to grip on to third. With speed drawn to his outside, Callan Murray should gain a nice cart across the field and if he can land Press Down in the one-one, he has the ability to out do these sprinters who have a touch more class.

• 13
  

  PRESS DOWN

• 1
  

  SGHIRRIPA

• 6
  

  WHAT YOU NEED

• 4
  

  SANS DOUTE

Race 5: Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m)

Skybird caught the eye when making strong ground late in Open company at Bendigo on April 13 when needing to cary 61kg. The Group 1-placed filly was clearly having that run as a warm-up for what she is set to produce during the Adelaide Carnival and looks to have found the right race in to continue her impressive career. The Exosphere filly will gain a perfect tow into the race from barrier five, and if she produces anything close to what she is capable of, Skybird will prove too hard to hold out over 1200m.

• 8
  

  SKYBIRD

• 1
  

  ARKANSAW KID

• 9
  

  GUMDROPS

• 5
  

  PIVOT CITY

Race 6: Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m)

Coming off her first run off a long break, the Symon Wilde-trained Sirileo Miss looks poised to strike in the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes. The six-year-old mare was wide throughout over 1400m at Bendigo on March 13, and despite finishing 10th, was only beaten 3.1 lengths. With hardly any early speed in the race, Jordan Childs should have no issue in finding a spot outside the lead and keeping luck out of the equation. With four wins and two runner-up efforts from six second-up runs, the Pride of Dubai clearly takes great benefit from fresh runs. Sirileo Miss presents great value with online bookmakers in the quaddie opener.

• 2
  

  SIRILEO MISS

• 10
  

  LADY JONES

• 5
  

  SEONEE

• 1
  

  CAMPIONESSA

Race 7: Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m)

The Group 1 Australasian Oaks has attracted a capacity field of 16 for the staying feature of the day, and with even luck, Pulchritudinous can make her Australian debut a winning one. The last-start Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner has since been transferred to the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott stable and if she is anywhere close to her best, she looks capable of blowing this field away. She put 1.8 lengths on her Group 1 rivals in the NZ Oaks and looks to be a serious stayer on the rise. Tim Clark will have her settled midfield from barrier seven and if she replicates anything close to what she did in NZ, Pulchritudinous should prove to be the superior filly.

• 1
  

  PULCHRITUDINOUS

• 2
  

  WINGS OF SONG

• 11
  

  CONCELLO

• 6
  

  VIBRANT SUN

Race 8: Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m)

In what shapes to be one of the better editions of the Robert Sangster Stakes in recent times, a field of 14 fillies and mares will do battle for the $1 million on offer. Will Ciaron Maher’s Estriella continue on her winning ways? Or is there an upset brewing in the 1200m scamper for the girls?

Check out HorseBetting’s free preview of the 2024 Robert Sangster Stakes here.

Race 9: Open Handicap (1600m)

Chicago Storm was a dominant all-the-way victor in Listed company over 1527m at Morphettville on April 13, and in a similar race can string together consecutive victories. Following the win, the son of Trust In A Gust goes up 4kg, but draws to do no work in barrier four. He clearly brings an element of class to an Open Handicap like the one he faces here, and if Carleen Hefel can take a sit just off the speed, Chicago Storm has a turn of foot which prove to be enough to get the job done in the Morphettville finale.

• 1
  

  CHICAGO STORM

• 7
  

  SECOND TO NUN

• 4
  

  MY KHALIFA

• 3
  

  MR MAESTRO