Sportingbet Classic winner Platelet could add a second Adelaide Autumn Carnival Group 1 trophy to trainer Darren Weir’s cabinet when she lines up in the Group 1 $500,000 The Distinctive Homes Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Platelet going for back to back Group 1 wins in Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Weir has reported that Platelet has come through her win over the fillies and mares in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Classic (Registered as Robert Sangster Stakes) (1200m) at Morphettville on April 27 in top order.
“She’s good, really good,” Weir said.
“She came back to my Ballarat stable after winning the Classic and she has done nothing wrong, so there’s no reason why we wouldn’t go back and try to win the Goodwood as well.”
“This will be tougher to win, no doubt, but I’m happy to send her back and try again.”
In form jockey Ben Melham will again be aboard the four year old mare after the pair combined in the Sportingbet Classic and Melham is also going for his third Group 1 of the Carnival after taking out last week’s $500,000 Centrebet South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on the Matt Laurie trained Escado.
Melham will be able to give Platelet every chance again after coming up with an excellent barrier draw at five in the eighteen horse field with race favourite Moment Of Change drawing to his immediate outside at six.
Local trainer Richard Jolly fared better in the barrier draw with Goodwood hope Karacatis than he did with his three year old Hioctdane who drew the outside of fifteen when second to Escado in last week’s Derby.
Karacatis was lucky enough to come up with gate seven and that will enable jockey Paul Gatt to put the gelding in a winning position without too much trouble.
Jolly is aware of the huge step up class for the four year old but said he is on the improve and was happy with his run last start when second to General Truce in the Group 3 $115,000 DC McKay Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on April 27.
“He probably got to the front a little too soon and was left a sitting shot but I’m more than happy with him,” Jolly said.
Karacatis was a winner the start before in restricted company and Jolly proclaimed the addition of the blinkers at the start of this preparation has been the main factor for his consistent form.
“He’s always needed the blinkers but he’s never been in the right part of his preparation to throw them on,” Jolly said.
The Ricky Maund trained General Truce with Nicholas Hall to ride again, has also come up with a good gate at three and can make it a hat trick of wins after scoring at Flemington over 1000m before his DC McKay Stakes win.
Queensland sprinter Facile Tigre will jump from eight first up after running second to Mr Onassis in Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 23 while the well weighted Yosei will jump from gate nine.
The Peter Moody trained Moment Of Change remains the short priced favourite at $2.30 with the next best in the betting being Platelet at $7 with Facile Tigre a $9 chance first up.
Multiple Group 1 winning mare Yosei is at $10, last start winner General Truce at $15 and locally trained Karacatis is quoted a $31 chance.
