It’s been an action-packed three weekends of Group 1 racing in South Australia and while some may say the Group 1s aren’t full of the greatest depth, there is no denying they brought great entertainment to punters and race fans.
The average winning margin across the four Group 1 races was only 0.26 lengths, with the biggest margin being Panova’s 0.9-length victory in the Australasian Oaks.
Outside of the Group 1s there were many other exciting races throughout the carnival and this is a list of my top five performances over the last three weeks.
Honourable Mentions
- Naifah running away with an easy win in the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes in a time that rated only 0.5 lengths below The Goodwood.
- Michael Hickmott’s training performance to take Fringes from a midweek Balaklava Class 1 win to victory in the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic.
#5 Arran Bay – 1600m Group 3 Cummings Stakes (9/5)
Arran Bay loves getting to Morphettville and this was his second stakes win in a month at the track having taken out the Listed City Of Adelaide Handicap a month prior.
This race was run at a fast tempo in which he found himself on speed in second. He looked to be beaten as Pudding went past him, but he fought back to deny him and kick again to take out the race much to the joy of the on-track punters, as most in the crowd had supported him thanks to an on-track promotion.
#4 Grand Larceny – 1100m Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (25/4)
The Hawkes stable appeared to have set their gelding for this race named in honour of John Hawkes.
Their confidence was high but Grand Larceny has been a runner who promised a lot and showed talent without quite delivering. He was travelling well in the straight but looking for runs through the pack and with around 100m to go the small gap appeared and Grand Larceny exploded through to win by nearly a length.
He would go on two weeks later to run third in The Goodwood.
#3 Tiptop Tori – 1600m Listed Adelaide Guineas (2/5)
A runner that the stable must have always had an opinion of given she ran third in a Group 3 during her two-year-old season.
It has been a great preparation for her, kicking off with a midweek maiden win before running third in the Listed Nitschke Stakes.
In this run she found herself near last and a long way from the leaders. At the top of the straight she came widest around the bend and in tough conditions to make up ground she came from further back at the 600m than any other winner on the meeting to storm over the top of the field and win easily.
#2 Geegees Mistruth – 1200m Group 1 Sangster Stakes (25/4)
Arguably the best finish of the four Group 1 races with the top five finishers all within 0.7 lengths of each other.
The photo finish with Bridal Waltz and Charm Stone was so tight that nobody at the track knew who had won and it felt as if the whole venue held its breath waiting for the result to flash up.
It was a nice ride by Jordy Childs to bring up another Group 1. He was caught without cover early in the run but didn’t panic and held his position, which paid off as he found cover behind Super Smink who took him into the race perfectly when it mattered.
It was also a great training performance by Mark Walker given Geegees Mistruth has always shown talent but had her issues this preparation.
#1 Panova – 2000m Group 1 Australasian Oaks (25/4)
It was always going to be one of the big attractions of the carnival for fans to see Chris Waller and James McDonald in town for a Group 1.
JMac was chasing his first Group 1 win in South Australia and to the joy of punters he warmed up well in the race prior when riding his first winner in the state aboard Tycoon Star.
The ride on Panova was superb by McDonald. She was back in the run off a fast tempo and he timed it perfectly to start building through her gears just before the top of the straight.
Rounding the field they came widest on the track which gave her all the momentum, while some of the others such as Mating Call were closer to the inside and running into traffic.
McDonald and Panova had all the momentum and clear air and never looked like losing, recording the biggest winning margin of any of the Group 1 races at 0.9 lengths.
