2026 Leon Macdonald Stakes Day Preview

CHICA ASTUTA (3) is a better filly than the one we saw go around over shorter a couple of weeks ago. 

The daughter to Toranado was caught three-wide and faced a big task at the top of the straight, entitling her to finish nearly nine lengths off in the end. 

You only have to go back and look at her debut win on the Parks track in late February to see what she’s all about, and with a better gate at her disposal on Saturday and the chances of a drying track, she should be bouncing back to her best. 

FARTOO FRISKY (10) was seen doing her best work late at Murray Bridge. 

She was probably a little too far back in the early stages and left herself some work to do, but once she found the clear down the centre of the straight, she really motored home well to run third. 

Sticking to a similar trip helps and I’d expect to see her settling closer to the speed this time from the wide gate. 

NAVY ROK (3) is the one to beat after braining his rivals by four lengths to jag his maiden at Strathalbyn last month. 

The Stokes-trained gelding set a cracking tempo in the early stages and led all the way, quickening midway down the straight to really win with authority. 

This is a fairly thin race in terms of depth and competition, so with soft conditions expected again, he’ll be very hard to catch. 

AMALFI DREAMER (3) is poised to strike again for Richard and Chantelle Jolly. 

This mare to So You Think flew home to win by 3.5 lengths in just her second start a few weeks ago, finding the box seat early before clicking into gear under Rochelle Milnes. 

Everything about that performance indicated she wants further, and from a nice soft gate, she’s arguably one of the better bets of the day. 

POLUNIN (8) appears very cose to another win. 

The Zousain four-year-old won on debut by nearly a length at Balaklava and has gone on to go close in tougher contests, notably running on for second here over shorter to start the month where he simply found the talented The Cosmic One too good over the late stages. 

Three goes over 1200m stacks up well for this rise in trip and it’s worth noting the blinkers come off now for the first time. He just needs luck finding cover in the early stages to go on with the job. 

KICK YOUR KNEES UP (5) looks a genuine threat here at good odds. 

This lightly-raced five-year-old hasn’t done much wrong in eight career starts, winning on three occasions and jagging a place twice. 

She was a clear 1.5 length winner at Mildura last month off her usual six week break, form that has held up well with the runner-up going on to win his next race. 

With another good gap between runs and the inside gate helping, she just needs a drying track to be a real Top 3 chance. 

JANDAMI (4) has finally drawn a favourable gate after suffering double digit draws over his last few starts, although that’s hardly stopped him from winning back to back starts here at Morphettville around the mile. 

He was thrown in the deep end up over 2000m two weeks ago, where he was entitled to run third after being caught five-wide at one point.  

This is a much more winnable assignment in my opinion and there’s no knock on his fitness at this stage of his prep. 

PUDDING (4) appears forward enough to be a real threat here first-up. 

We saw him come out and win well over the track/trip to kick off his previous prep, and his recent jump out win at Marburg suggests we can expect a similar effort. 

The son to Tavistock went on to place in a Group 3 later in his prep and there’s no knock on his form either. Could be slightly over the odds with a soft gate strengthening his claims. 

TAHNEE TERRITORY (10) is racing well enough to be considered a key chance in this open sprint race to finish the day. 

We saw Travis Doudle’s mare win back to back starts in weaker company to leadoff her prep, and she’s been far from disgraced up in grade in two starts since, placing on each occasion. 

The race was there to be won last start where she found clear air at the top of the straight, simply lacking the dash when it counted. Fitter now, however, and drawn to get a lovely ride off the speed, she’ll be right there when it matters.