3 minute read

Racing in South Australia has been plagued by wet-tracks in recent weeks and the Morphettville meeting on Saturday will again see damp track conditions.

The Gawler meeting on Thursday was lost due to a wet track and Saturday’s meeting at Morphettville will be run – at this stage – on a heavy9.

It will be a long wait for what looks to be the best gamble on the day.

We have to wait until the final event on the eight race card – the Tattsbet Handicap, a Benchmark 82 race over 1600m.

Defiant Angel, prepared by Phillip Stokes and to be ridden by Dom Tourneur, will be looking to notch back-to-back victories over the Morphettville 1600m course.

Formerly prepared by Danny O’Brien in Melbourne, Defiant Angel has had two starts since joining the Stokes team, registering a first-up narrow second on the ‘Parks’ circuit before scoring over this course and distance in a Benchmark 82 a fortnight ago.

That was run on a heavy track and the gelding ploughed through the conditions carrying 56kg.

He rises 2kg for Saturday’s race but he’s likely to be further improved with the run under the belt and prove hard to stop.

Eariler in the day Wise And Happy, in the Evright Handicap, a Benchmark 78 race over 1200m, appeals on an each-way basis.

The Brian Mueller-trained gelding by Happy Giggle was successful on the ‘Parks’ circuit last week in a Benchmark 82 race over 1250m, recording a comfortable victory.

He rises in weight this time around – up 5kg in the handicap – before the 3kg claim for Sigrid Carr is taken into account.

He in fact rises 2kg on last week’s win in this slightly weaker affair and drawing off the track may not be any disadvantage.

He has a strong finish and won’t be far away at the business end.

Good luck and good punting.

BET OF THE DAY: Race 8 #3 Defiant Angel @ $2.90

EACH-WAY PLAY: Race 5 #2 Wise And Happy @ $6