Last Saturday saw the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival officially begin with Queensland Guineas Day at Eagle Farm kicking off the 10-week carnival in the Sunshine State. Meanwhile, the Adelaide Autumn Carnival continued with the city’s first Group 1 day for the year, with the Australasian Oaks for the fillies taking centre stage at Morphettville. We also had support cards from Sandown, Rosehill and Ascot.
Below you will find three runners across the Eagle Farm and Morphettville meetings on Saturday that are worth following at their next start.
Eagle Farm – Queensland Guineas Day
Track rating: Good 4
Rail position: +5m entire circuit
Race 8: Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) | Time: 1:10.32
- Horse to follow: King Of Sparta (3rd)
The first of the Group 2 features on Queensland Guineas Day was the Victory Stakes over 1200m, where King Of Sparta from the Peter & Paul Snowden yard ran home stylishly into second when first-up for his campaign. After settling at the rear of the field in the 1200m event, King Of Sparta was clearly the best of the backmarkers, rattling off his last 600m in just under 34 seconds (33.96), which was the second-fastest last 600m of any runner in the race and the equal-third fastest of any runner for the entire meeting. This four-year-old gelding has a very good second-up record (5:3-0-0), so following him next start should prove profitable for his followers.
When to bet: King Of Sparta has won five of his six races at 1200m, so we expect the Snowden team to keep him at the six furlongs or go to the Kingsford Smith Cup next start, which is 1300m. Whichever way they choose to go, we will be following him at his next start after such a good performance first-up.
Race 5: QTIS 3YO Quality Handicap (1300m) | Time: 1:16.65
- Horse to follow: Ekaterina (3rd)
After defeating most of her rivals two starts back, the Robert Heathcote-trained Ekaterina was made to carry 59kg and nearly won, going down by 0.4 lengths over 1300m behind Spirit Queen and Chairman. This three-year-old filly is starting to build a very nice record (13:4-0-4) and she is only in her third racing preparation. This daughter of Russian Revolution may only have one more start during the Queensland carnival, but she looks to be a much better proposition when she returns for her four-year-old campaign.
When to bet: If the Heathcote team gives Ekaterina one more run at 1300m or 1400m in a race where she gets in with less than 57kg, we will be backing her.
Morphettville – Australasian Oaks Day
Track rating: Soft 5
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 8: Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) | Time: 2:05.66
- Horse to follow: Red Sun Sensation (1st)
Peter Moody may have the timing perfect for his three-year-old gelding Red Sun Sensation, as his win in the Chairman’s Stakes comes right in time for him to push on to the South Australian Derby over 2500m in two weeks’ time. This son of Awesome Rock had been given three fitness runs over 1400m and 1600m, which were well short of his best, and once he got to 2000m last Saturday he was too good for his fellow three-year-olds. With the benefit of this guy not going to the VRC Derby in the spring, he should be primed to run a big race next start at his first attempt at 2500m.
When to bet: Currently, Red Sun Sensation is an equal-second favourite at $7 with online bookmakers in the Group 1 South Australian Derby, and we believe that price is very fair. If he gets a nice barrier, we expect him to jump close to favourite and play a prominent role in the finish.
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