Ballymore's Three State Raid

Ballymore saddles up runners in three states on Saturday – making the most of the quality racing that Morphettville, Flemington and Rosehill has on offer.

Adelaide’s big day is the focus and we take three nice horses to the Group One meeting – Court Pastoral, Rhythm To Spare (pictured) and Octavia.

Imported mare Court Pastoral takes her place in the Listed Centaurea Stakes and we are looking forward to seeing how the four-year-old improves rising in distance.

“She was caught very, very wide at her first Australian run,” Michael Moroney noted, “and she got into a lot of trouble.”

“Glen Boss said that she was galloped on from behind and that it really knocked the stuffing out of her.”

Fortunately no harm was done and the daughter of Mount Nelson has progressed nicely since.

“She is a good, tough mare and it would be no surprise to see her improve.”

Dom Tourneur takes the ride on Court Pastoral who jumps from gate 14.

Last start Flemington winner Rhythm To Spare lines up in the Gr.3 R.A Lee Stakes and whilst he has drawn awkwardly out in barrier 15 he does have the services of champion rider Damien Oliver.

“He came right back to form last start and he seems to have trained on well,” said Moroney, adding that “we have not done a lot with him.”

Due to head to the paddock for a spell after this run, Rhythm To Spare does not want it to wet so we are hoping the track holds up well after Adelaide’s Friday showers.

Tough mare Octavia is our other Morphettville runner, due to race in the Gr.3 Proud Miss Stakes.

She too has drawn out wide but is not lacking in early gate speed and should get into a good position for Damien Oliver.

“Her last run was a lot better,” Moroney said of the four-year-old’s close-up second up eighth at Caulfield where she was brave after being taken on in front.

“Those who pressured her dropped out to finish at the rear but she was still there at the 100m.”

Octavia is well placed at the 1200m, a trip at which she has had nine starts for five wins and two seconds.

We have just the one runner at the Rosehill meeting, the Darci Brahma three-year-old Deckhand stepping up in distance in the Rexel Handicap.

With good New Zealand form, Deckhand was disappointing at his Australian debut it was, Moroney says “a strangely run race.”

“He is up to his right trip this time and the races is a test to see if he has acclimatized – if he hasn’t he can go out for a spell otherwise he will head to Brisbane for the Queensland Derby.”

Milkwood is the first of our three Flemington runners and Moroney is confident that the consistent mare will be somewhere in the mix in the Recycle Handicap.

“She loomed up and got tired the last bit last time,” he said, “but she had been caught wide throughout so she was entitled to.”

“On her best form she deserves a chance in a race like this so we are happy to take a roll of the dice.”

The following race is the Spotless Plate and we will be cheering on Jemerica who did not have a great deal of luck last time out.

“She got into a tangle at the start – collided with other horses and ended up last; it was a discard run,” Moroney explained.

Previously a smart winner at Cranbourne, Jemerica has “struck a very strong race for this time of year,” but she has been pleasing with her work,

Garud, who races in the Cleanevent Handicap, is another horse who can improve – suited by a rise in distance and a drop in class.

“He got into a bit of a skirmish first up – just when he was about to pick up and run home. He can turn around his form pretty quickly.”

Sunday is another busy day for the stable with three Sandown runners kicking off with Lordoftheparrots who is having his second jumping start.

“He was good at his first attempt in what was the strongest of the three heats of the maiden hurdles at Warrnambool.”

“He should’ve taken good improvement from that and should prove hard to beat.”

Our next Sandown acceptor is debutant three-year-old Yesterday’s Songs.

“He is a really nice horse,” Moroney enthused.