The Darren Weir trained Leicester has been installed the early favourite following the release of the final field for the 2018 Group 1 $600,000 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
The Darren Weir trained Leicester, above, is the early favourite for the 2018 South Australian Derby at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Sixteen three-year-olds plus four emergencies make up the final field for the South Australian Derby with Ladbrokes.com.au marking Leicester as the $3.90 top pick ahead of the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained High ‘N’ Dry at $6 and Chris Waller’s well performed colt Tangled at $7.
Leicester is one of four Weir runners in the South Australian Derby and has already shown his liking for the Morphettville track with a last start win in the Group 3 $120,000 AAMI Chairman’s Stakes (2035m) on April 28.
Damian Lane has retained the mount on Leicester who has drawn barrier nine in the original drawn but could jump from gate six if all of the emergencies fail to gain a start.
Weir’s other South Australian Derby runners are Civil Disobedience ($15), Amerock ($21) and Savaheat ($26).
Second favourite High ‘N’ Dry was out of luck at the barrier draw, coming up with eighteen and will be ridden again by Andrew Mallyon who was aboard last start when second to Leicester in the Chairman’s Stakes.
High ‘N’ Dry has worked his way up through classes very quickly after only winning his maiden three starts back over 1600m at Sandown and then finished third in the Listed $110,000 Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) at Morphettville on April 14 before his second in the Chairman’s Stakes.
Third in the betting market is the Chris Waller trained Tangled who has some very good 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival Group 1 form.
Tangled made up a heap of ground from the back when second to stablemate D’Argento in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill and then finished third behind Levendi and Ace High in the Group 1 $2m Harrolds Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on day one of The Championships.
Tangled then ran into another stablemate in Higher Ground when runner up in the Group 3 $150,000 IGA Liquor Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 21.
The only other runner under the $10 mark at $8.50 is the Kiwi three year old Sherrif who has arrived in Adelaide on the back of a last start fifth in the Group 2 NZ$100,000 Valachi Downs Championships Stakes (2100m) at Pukekohe Park in New Zealand on April 21.
