This weekend we head to Adelaide for our fix of Group 1 racing with two autumn elite levels running at Morphettville Racecourse for Schweppes Oaks Day, including the 2015 Robert Sangster Stakes.
Seventeen fillies and mares are engaged face off in this year’s $400,000 Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m), the weight-for-age classic running as Morphettville Race 7 at 3:58pm (SA time).
At Ladbrokes we have four of the hopefuls at single-figures to join the list of Robert Sangster Stakes winners that famously includes the ‘Black Flash’ Black Caviar who won back in 2012.
Black Caviar was the first favourite since 2007 to salute for the punters in the Robert Sangster Stakes however, and so there’s often value to be found in the markets on the SA clash.
2015 Robert Sangster Stakes Favourites
#5 Vain Queen ($4.60 out to $5)
#1 Miracles Of Life ($5.50)
#4 Avoid Lightning ($8 into $7)
#7 Politeness ($12 into $8.50)
This year we have the John Sadler-trained Artie Schiller mare Vain Queen as the $5 favourite, but she is on the drift out from $4.60 since the barrier draw.
The five-year-old has a wide gate 13 barrier for her and jockey Nicholas Hall to overcome this weekend.
Historically however that double-digit gate hasn’t proved a death sentence, with back-to-back Robert Sangster winners saluting from barrier 13 in recent years with Juste Momente (2008) and Bel Mer (2009).
Close second fancy in our latest Robert Sangster Stakes odds at $5.50 is the better-drawn Miracles Of Life jumping from seven with top hoop Hugh Bowman in Adelaide for the ride.
Now prepared in Sydney by Peter & Paul Snowden, Not A Single Doubt four-year-old Miracles Of Life actually kicked off her career with Daniel Clarken in South Australia.
She won her opening four starts, two at home and two in Melbourne, including the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) back in 2013.
Since then she has a trio of Group 2 races, including the Challenge Stakes over the 1000m at Randwick two starts back.
Her lead-up run into the Robert Sangster was also good when Bowman, aboard for her past four starts on the trot, guided her to a solid third behind Sweet Idea in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) on March 21.
The next two best backed mares in our Robert Sangster Stakes markets are both firming with the widely-drawn duo of Avoid Lightning ($7) and Politeness ($8.50).
No six-year-old has won the race in over 30 years, but the Les Bridge-trained Avoid Lightning will be out to change that on Saturday.
The Blevic mare improved on a luckless 10th in The Galaxy to win the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 11 with Tim Clark aboard, Clark retaining the ride this weekend.
Two of the past three Robert Sangster champs came off a last-start win including Driefontein 12 months ago, which bodes well for Avoid Lightning who will need all the luck she can get from the second widest gate (16).
Politeness meanwhile is also in double-digits out in gate 14 for jockey Dwayne Dunn, who chases his second winning ride after success with Response (2011).
The four-year-old daughter of Street Sense comes off a Caulfield win from April 18 in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m), and is the right age for success with three of the past four editions being won by four-year-olds.
The punters have certainly come for Politeness in our markets, and we’ve wound her right in from $12 making her the genuine market mover.
Four-year-old Politeness ($12 into $8.50) is our early Robert Sangster Stakes market mover
One the drift however is former single-figure hope Platelet now out to $10 to become a dual winner of the race after her 2013 success.
Ballarat-based trainer Darren Weir bought the daughter of Strategic back to Adelaide last autumn carnival where she ran second in both this and The Goodwood when defending her Group 1 titles in both races.
Her lead-up form in 2015 is far from imposing though so even with the rails-draw in gate one she’s at an easing price to make history.
Also a $10 chance is three-year-old Sabatini ($9 out to $10), Lee & Shannon Hope’s daughter of Street Cry a Group 2 winner from February defeating Fontein Ruby in the Angus Armanasco Stakes.
She has to improve however on her fifth in the Bel Esprit last time out, and is looking to become the first filly to beat home the older mares in this feature since Rostova (2010).
Other notable hopes just outside the best in betting include Bel Esprit Stakes third placed Commands four-year-old Gregers ($10 out to $11), consistent Group 3 winner Tycoon Tara ($11 out to $12) and visiting Perth Group 1 champ Magnifisio ($13) coming off a fourth in the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville form April 18.