Racing
Keep an eye on SA: Blackbookers – 21st of March 2026
Horses to follow from Morphettville Parks on Saturday.
It was a day to remember for Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr on Saturday. Along with their star two-year-old colt Guest House taking out the $5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill (1200m), they also sent three runners to Adelaide and came within a head of landing the perfect treble. Two of them look certain to be winning again soon.
While the stable hype will rightly centre on Guest House, his stablemate The Speed Machine made a serious impression on debut in Adelaide. Well supported off two sharp Cranbourne jump-outs, the son of Hanseatic bounced straight to the front under Jason Holder and never looked like giving up the lead. Holding a narrow margin at the turn, he put the race to bed in a few strides and cruised home by a touch over 3L.
The visuals were strong and the clock backed them up. Home in 33.91, The Speed Machine produced the fastest closing splits of the day, sharper than older horses who tackled the 1000m the race following. Racing and Sports figures suggest he had plenty up his sleeve and could have put an even bigger gap on them if asked earlier.
The field was small and lightly exposed, but you couldn't ask for much more from the two-year-old. He looks destined for better racing soon.
His stablemate Bring Forth then made a mess of his rivals in the staying race, scoring by 4.3L. Run down late at Sandown-Hillside last start by the fitter Flag Flyer, he was never letting this one slip. Jacob Opperman gave him a peach, crossing from barrier seven to lead and roll along on his own terms. The Turn Me Loose gelding kicked clear at the 300m and was off and gone, eased down late for the most dominant win of the day.
He has always shown promise, most notably when finishing 1.7L off the winner in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas in 2024. He has excelled over staying trips in his last two campaigns and is still working it all out. Expect him to keep climbing, with black type close at hand.
The final runner worth highlighting is King Of Wessex, who caught the eye storming down the outside in the last race on the card. He made up nearly 5L in the straight and was only beaten 1.2L in fifth. It was a tough set up for the son of Saxon Warrior, dropping from 2000m to 1550m off a 12-day turnaround and carrying 60kgs from barrier 10. Matching his RAS peak from the start prior, he showed plenty of grit and is flying this campaign.
He should rise in grade next start to shed some weight, and the stable will be keen to get him back to a staying trip. He is ready to win again.
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