FEATURE PREVIEWS: ROBERT SANGSTER STAKES

Track: Morphettville | Distance: 1200m | Type: Group 1 WFA F&M | Rail Position: True | Condition: Good 4 | Prizemoney: $1million

The Robert Sangster Stakes is a Group 1 South Australian weight-for-age race for Fillies and Mares run over 1200m. The race has been run since 1983 when it was then a set weights and penalties race before being changed to a weight-for-age race in 1990.

The Robert Sangster stakes is Australia’s only 1200m Group 1 race for fillies and mares. A dramatic prize increase only this year see’s the race jump from $500,000 to 1 million in total prizemoney.

The race has been won three times by leading trainers Mick Price and Lee Freedman while champion and now-retired jockey Damien Oliver has also won the race on three occasions.

Some notable winners include Alinghi (2005), Black Caviar (2012) Miracles Of Life (2015) and the South Australian trained Bella Vella for Will Clarken back in 2020

The race was a Group 3 between 1986-2003, a Group 2 in 2004 and has since been the premier Group 1 1200m race for Fillies and Mares in Australia since 2005.

Lee Freedman and Mick Price have won the race 3 times as a trainer while Damien Oliver boasts the most wins as a jockey also with three.

Some notable winners of the race are Group 1 Superstar ALINGHI in 2005, The worlds best ever sprinter BLACK CAVAIR in 2012 and SA Racings fairytale story MIRACLES OF LIFE in 2015.

In recent times the favourites have had a shocking record in the race with only one saluting since 2007 being Black Caviar at odds of $1.05

• First-up (3 winners), second-up (2 winners), third-up (4 winners), fifth-up (1 winner).
• 14-day break (3 winners), 21-day break (3 winners), 28-day break (1 winner), 42-day break (1 winner), 63-to-70 day break (2 winners).
• Settled leader (4 winners), sixth in running (2 winners), 11th-to-13th in running (4 winners)
• Three-year-olds (2 winners), four-year-olds (4 winners), five-year-olds (3 winners), six-year-olds (1 winner)
• Barrier 3 (1 winner), barrier 6 (3 winners), barriers 10-16 (6 winners).

The hot favourite Estriella should lead this and try and get away with cheap sectionals here. Passive Aggressive, Zapeto and I Am Me should have no problems gaining a forward position from there low draws. One of the fancied runners in Benedetta will have a decision to make in the first few hundred metres from gate 1 on how close she wants to sit. Likely to get 3 back on the inside. Stretan Angel is likely to go back from gate 10 and hope there is a genuine speed on.

If Estriella gets a soft lead here then it’s going to be bloody difficult to get past her. She torched them last start down the Flemington straight. If she cruises across from the wide draw and stacks them up on the bend it’s hard to see her not taking this out. She’s bomb proof on Good tracks too! Stretan Angel looks the best of the South Aussie trainers hopes. Was pretty stiff last start and probably wasn’t suited by an inside draw. She goes better when she gets a cold sit and some cover racing outside of runners.

Has a powerful turn of foot and if Estriella gets taken on and there’s some genuine speed in the race she could be all over them late. Gets the services of Damien Lane. Bendetta draws to do now work here and is coming off a dominant win in the lead up Group 3 Irwin Stakes. She’s honest as the day is long winning 7 from 13 and 3 minor placings and doesn’t know how to run a bad race. Only bad luck in running would see her missing a place here. Snapped comes from the same race as Bendetta and caught the eye late flashing home from well back for 2.2L 4^th. She has a great record here at Morphettville with 2 wins and a closing 4^th from 3 starts. She might be the value for the exotics.

12. Estriella
14. Stretan Angel
4. Benedetta
10. Snapped

BACK (WIN): Estriella for 4 units

BACK (WIN): Stretan Angel for 1 unit