Sportingbet Classic Preview: Classy Snitzerland can go close

The Sportingbet Classic is at Morphettville

Gary Crispe looks at the Sportingbet Classic, one of two Group 1 races at Morphettville on Saturday.

Just 12 months ago Adelaide was in the middle of Black Caviar fever, with the great mare having her first run in South Australia, dominating what some might say a moderate Group 1 Sportingbet Classic (formerly the Robert Sangster Stakes) (1200m) field.

Today, the Gerald Ryan-trained Snitzerland gets the chance to break her Group 1 maiden in the same race, taking on a competitive field of sprinters.

The consistent three-year-old filly kicked off this preparation in good order with a win in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Warwick Farm, returning a Timeform figure of 121, the highest of her career. 

Following that up with a second placing behind Bel Sprinter in the Group 1 Galaxy (1100m), Snitzerland will only be required to carry 54.5kg in this race, and rates well clear on the weight-adjusted Timeform ratings. 

The daughter of Snitzel, who was also trained by Gerald Ryan has an outstanding record over the 1200m, winning five of her nine starts and looks well placed to build on that record here.

Corey Brown maintains the ride and from barrier 5 she will settle up on the speed and prove very hard to run down.

A Group 1 win has been a long time coming for Snitzerland, who finished runner up in the Golden Slipper as a two-year-old and has been credible enough in three Group 1 efforts since.

Wining her first four races last preparation, Snitzerland was unable to run up to her first up Timeform figure of 117, dropping her rating every start.

If the filly was to do the same this preparation it is unlikely to prove much of an issue with none of these in the field to have run close to her recent figures.

Snitzerland clearly is the top pick in this field and looks well placed to claim her first Group 1 success.

The race for second and third appears to be tightly contested between a handful of these coming out of the same race, the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m).

Avoid Lightning put in a great effort from a wide barrier in the Irwin, getting back in the field and always off the track was strong to the line for third.

Avoid Lightning can go forward here form barrier 3 and settle up on the speed which will suit. She has finished in the money all three runs at the course and can improve on the 110 Timeform figure she ran last start. Likely to be in the finish of this one and looms as the main danger. 

Kulgrinda won on that occasion, running a Timeform figure of 112 and stays at the same weight of 56.5kg for this. 

The Peter Moody-trained mare is proven third up and has an outstanding record at the course having won three of her four starts. 

Kulgrinda will need some luck in this from barrier 12, however and Avoid Lightning should be able to turn the tables but the ever consistent Kulgrinda is not to be dismissed.

Platelet, who completes the trifecta of the Irwin Stakes, running second on that occasion will also have to contend a wide barrier (11), but has much better credentials over the 1200m than the other two and is worth consideration.

She has placed in both third up efforts previously and on her Timeform figure of 111 last start should put up a strong showing in this.

The most interesting runner of the field is Shamal Wind from the Robert Smerdon stable who has seemingly had an unlucky preparation. 

The three-year-old filly produced an outstanding run to win the Heritage Stakes at Flemington before a spell and was touted as a potential star of the future.

Shamal Wind has been unable to replicate that form but was only 1.8L off Arinosa in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes two runs back and for a race like this that looks good form.

If she runs up to form, she is sure to be in the finish despite a moderate run last start in the Sapphire Stakes and looks one that could produce an upset with Arinosa form likely to be stronger than that of the Irwin Stakes.

Michael Walker goes on first time and with plenty of chances to fill the placings is as good as any other on best form.

Outside of these Angelic Light who was a last start winner at Moonee Valley also looks a danger, only beaten 1.5L by Norzita in the Typhoon Tracey Stakes three starts back and is also in the mix.

She rarely runs a bad race and must be included in the multiples and has each way claims.

Off Time: 06.05 BST