The Dan Morton-trained She’s Fit is tipped to become the first South Australian Derby winning filly since Qafila in 2019 when she lines-up against the colts and geldings as favourite in Saturday’s time-honoured showdown.
The Peter Moody-trained Red Sun Sensation is out to be the second horse in as many years to complete the Chairman’s Stakes – SA Derby double this weekend. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
The Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival action continues at Morphettville Racecourse with the next edition of the Group 1 $502,250 Thomas Farm South Australian Derby (2500m).
There the punters have Pride Of Dubai filly She’s Fit on top to return to winning form.
The recent WA Oaks winner is a proven young stayer, was competitive when third against the boys in the WA Oaks and then franked that form with her close second here in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) a fortnight back.
She gets back up to a mile and a half here with a better barrier and sits top of the latest SA Derby odds online at Ladbrokes paying $4.40 for the win.
The next best in the markets at $5.50 and firming is Loco running for last year’s winning trainers Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr.
The team won the event in 2022 with Jungle Magnate, who came via a win in the Chairman’s Stakes at the track, and look to have a genuine shot at back-to-back victories with So You Think gelding Loco this year.
The perennial placegetter has run second in his last three runs including finishing just a quarter-length off the Peter Moody-trained Red Sun Sensation in the track in the Chairman’s on April 29.
Red Sun Sensation meanwhile looks value at South Australian Derby odds of $13 to do the double this year jumping from barrier 10 with Luke Nolen riding in the Group 1.
The other most recent South Australian Derby winning training partnership is Ciaron Maher & David Eustace who won in 2021 with Explosive Jack.
This year they have two in the SA Derby field with 26/1 outsider Ain’t He Grand drawn wide and the better-fancied Promises Kept in gate nine with Mark Zahra riding the $6.50 shot.
Cluster gelding Promises Kept races for Maher & Eustace for the first time this weekend having previously been prepared by Greg Eurell.
The horse chases his third win on the trot and was last seen taking out Bendigo’s St. Leger Trial (2200m) six weeks ago over three lengths.
Drawn the outside alley for New Zealand hoop Opie Bosson to overcome is the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Suizuro who pays $7 to get back to winning form.
The in-form son of Real Impact has been good in his two lead-up runs finishing third in both the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) in Sydney and the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) here when under a length beaten.
The Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock-trained Aberfeldie Boy then rounds out the single-figure fancies at $9.50.
He is best known for his eye-catching third to Manzoice at Flemington in last November’s Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) as an 80/1 outsider.
He has had two lead-ups this prep winning a maiden at Pakenham over the mile before a third at the same track on April 27 over 2000m with improvement to come over further on Saturday.
Morphettville is host to nine races on Saturday with the SA Derby scheduled as the seventh on the card at 3:12pm (ACST).
2023 South Australian Derby Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x2x1110233 | SUIZURO | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Opie Bosson | 20 | 56.5kg | 90 | |
| 2 | 3243×13 | ABERFELDIE BOY | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | Craig Newitt | 16 | 56.5kg | 86 | |
| 3 | 1211119 | DUNKEL (NZ) | Patrick Payne | Billy Egan | 8 | 56.5kg | 80 | |
| 4 | 9x411x0775 | HIGH APPROACH | Dan O’Sullivan | John Allen | 5 | 56.5kg | 80 | |
| 5 | x1325x6361 | RED SUN SENSATION | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 10 | 56.5kg | 75 | |
| 6 | 89×3421 | BENGAL BOY | Matt Cumani | Declan Bates | 7 | 56.5kg | 72 | |
| 7 | 1222 | LOCO | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Damien Oliver | 15 | 56.5kg | 72 | |
| 8 | 32913×311 | GOTTABESAVVY (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Todd Pannell | 18 | 56.5kg | 71 | |
| 9 | 80×922911 | PROMISES KEPT | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 9 | 56.5kg | 70 | |
| 10 | 410×454 | AIN’T HE GRAND | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ben Allen | 17 | 56.5kg | 70 | |
| 11 | 93×851 | DUNWOODY (NZ) | Matt Cumani | Jarrod Fry | 4 | 56.5kg | 67 | |
| 12 | 19×3251 | CAPTAIN PLUTO (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Daniel Moor | 1 | 56.5kg | 67 | |
| 13 | 213623 | NORTHERN BARRAGE | Michael Kent | Jason Holder | 6 | 56.5kg | 66 | |
| 14 | 4423418×21 | RESERVOIR DOG | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Jake Toeroek | 14 | 56.5kg | 64 | |
| 15 | x3131x5397 | PRINCE TIKEA | Travis Doudle | Dom Tourneur | 3 | 56.5kg | 64 | |
| 16 | 6×6231132 | SHE’S FIT | Daniel Morton | Chris Parnham | 11 | 54.5kg | 87 | |
| 17e | 8x24212x71 | XTRAREVZ | John Sargent | Kerrin McEvoy | 13 | 56.5kg | 63 | |
| 18e | x231464374 | NIGHTSUN | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | 12 | 56.5kg | 62 | ||
| 19e | 3218 | IMPENDING LINK | Greg Eurell | 2 | 56.5kg | 62 | ||
| 20e | 0441 | SAMUEL LANGHORNE (NZ) | Michael Kent | 19 | 56.5kg | 62 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
The post She’s Fit Tops 2023 SA Derby Field & Betting Odds appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
