Morphettville ft. Sportsbet Lightning Stakes - 26th July 2025

BEST BET
CALADAN (Race 9)

EACH-WAY
DREAM ALL DAY (Race 7)

VALUE
VALIDATED (Race 5)

RACE 1 - 11:52AM Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1600 METRES)

STARTS NOW is chasing three in succession after a win here and at Murray Bridge, the latest beating stablemate UNDER THE CONE, who meets him a 1.5kg better at the weights and draws to the middle. THE CREATOR has won five of 14 starts, four of those on soft going and is fitter for one run back when beaten 3.2 lengths at Ballarat in a BM70. His second-up record is excellent, and he gets some weight relief. SHOELESS has been racing well, winning at Kilmore and Cranbourne earlier this prep, and made good ground from the back, beaten 1.25 lengths in a BM70 behind Black Storm.
GOVERNOR KING come soft after a Ballarat win in BM64 grade. He draws well and should be in the mix. BRAVE STAR will relish the conditions and wasn't beaten far last week on the Parks.

SELECTIONS: 2 STARTS NOW, 6 Under The Cone, 1 The Creator, 8 Shoeless
PLAY: Staying with STARTS NOW.

RACE 2 - 12:27PM Festival Hire Handicap (1050 METRES)

SIXTEEN REASONS was very good first-up from a spell when she came off the speed to beat The Black Cloud in a BM84 at Caulfield on Jun 28. She draws the inside and is weighted to go close again. QUEMAN has only had two runs since his G1 breakthrough in the Oakleigh Plate back on February 24 last year. He's dynamic, fresh, and has jumped out and trialled well, but still has to carry 61kg here after the claim. EXTREMELY LUCKY was beaten 4.05 lengths in that race first-up for Gavin Bedggood and returns here from a good gate. LINGANI ran well first-up when beaten 2.92 lengths behind Sir Now on the Parks before she was beaten 5.2 lengths behind I Flight in the G3 Monash Stakes at Caulfield last time. ZANTHRON has a good record around here and was on speed and beaten 0.37 lengths behind Winning Revolution at Gawler last time. He was a good winner here three starts back and draws well.

SELECTIONS: 5 SIXTEEN REASONS, 1 Queman, 2 Extremely Lucky, 4 Lingani
PLAY: Backing SIXTEEN REASONS.

RACE 3 - 1:02PM SkyCity Handicap (1600 METRES)

STIRRUP CUP was luckless at Gawler two runs back when narrowly beaten by Mystic Wonder. He'll appreciate getting back to the bigger track after getting a mile back when beaten 4.61 lengths behind the handy SAV ON ICE last week on the Parks. MOMETZ is a Victorian who was a $3.40 fav when beaten 1.97 lengths behind Stop The Rock at Caulfield last time and draws a nice barrier. SNOOPY NOW was game on speed as a $2.70 fav when beaten 0.23 lengths at Murray Bridge behind Starts Now last time on Jun 12. He must be respected. BIG BRUTE has been placed at three of five this time in work, the latest beaten 2,24 lengths behind Mystic Wonder at Gawler. SCANDALIZE is first-up for the Chris Bieg stable and was a winner on Heavy going back in NZ. The market will be the best guide.
TROPICAL HOUSE has won two of her five starts and was narrowly beaten by Headphones at Murray Bridge last time out. SHADOW EAGLE was good winning first-up from a spell and then well beaten behind Noetzie at Murray Bridge.

SELECTIONS: 2 STIRRUP CUP, 1 Snoopy Now, 4 Mometz, 3 Sav On Ice
PLAY: Staying with STIRRUP CUP each-way.

RACE 4 - 1:37PM Fleurieu Milk Company Handicap (1200 METRES)

FROM THE BLOCK is a former Hong Kong galloper who won a Gawler maiden on a Heavy track before he bolted in by 9.17 lengths at Balaklava last time. He draws out, but should give this a shake. CASH hasn't been seen since an impressive debut at Moonee Valley last November when a 0.75 length winner. He has had the one trial back this time around when beaten 4.82 lengths behind Caladan, who has been racing well. He draws out but has some serious talent and will take beating despite the gate. BANCOORA was a $15 chance and perfectly ridden when a 4.03 length winner over Clarence at Gawler last time. He draws the middle and should be in the mix again here. SIGN FROM ABOVE was a $3.30 fav and beaten 5.9 lengths in the same race; he was placed here behind Fast Bubble prior. HYPERNOVA ran well beaten 3.97 lengths in 4th behind Cicala here and has been back to the trials since. The blinkers come off here. HOT STRUT has won his past couple and must be respected.

SELECTIONS: 2 FROM THE BLOCK, 3 Cash, 1 Bancoora, 8 Hypernova
PLAY: Happy to stay out.

RACE 5 - 2:12PM Sportsbet Set A Deposit Limit Handicap (1200 METRES)

METRICAL has a good record here in SA and was too good for Delightful Shecky on the Parks two runs back and then beaten 0.27 lengths behind Layeruponlayer there last week. He draws out but should appreciate the bigger track. VALIDATED is now in the Gary Boyce stable and made good ground at Gawler last time when beaten 1.73 lengths behind Winning Revolution. He hasn't won in a while, but he isn't far away. STAR SIRIUS was a Flemington winner four starts back and narrowly beaten at Murray Bridge last time behind Fast Bubble in BM74 grade. She's well weighted. MORRIS MINOR has been placed at two of three here and was OK first-up from a spell when beaten 1.98 lengths behind Riche D'Amore at Murray Bridge. RAIKOKE was well beaten at Sandown behind Zou Sensation in a BM84 last time but draws a gate and gets the claim. VOLTAGE POINT was a good winner here two runs back before being beaten 6.96 lengths behind Fast Bubbles at Murray Bridge last time.

SELECTIONS: 6 METRICAL, 2 Validated, 11 Star Sirius, 10 Morris Minor
PLAY: Something on VALIDATED each-way at $10 (opened $13).

RACE 6 - 2:52PM Adelaide Galvanising Industries Handicap (1500 METRES)

MOSCOW RED is an 11yo having her 94th start but comes off a Bendigo win in BM64 grade over the mile. The wetter the better, and she'll give this a shake. THE MANSMAN was narrowly beaten by Stratum Pride at Murray Bridge before he was beaten 3.87 lengths behind Fiasco Tess on the Parks last time. ZARKANA was good behind Starts Now two runs back and then beaten 3.58 lengths in that Headphones race at Murray Bridge. SHISUTA BO was only beaten 2.01 lengths behind Headphones at Murray Bridge last time in BM68 grade and gets in here well after the claim. FLYWAY was a Gawler winner three starts back and beat home all but The Western Front at Gawler last time. EXABANOISE was a Casterton and Warrnambool winner last time in work and made ground at odds when beaten 0.77 lengths in a BM58 first-up at Geelong on Jun 20 and will relish a heavy track. RIKKI RIKKARDO was a $3.60 fav when winning a Class 1 by 5.42 lengths at Strathalbyn back on May 18. ALAINGE was a good winner at Mount Gambier last time on a Heavy track and draws a nice gate.

SELECTIONS: 9 MOSCOW RED, 2 The Mansman, 12 Zarkana, 6 Shisuta Bo
PLAY: Something on MOSCOW RED each-way and wide in quaddie.

RACE 7 - 3:32PM Dominant Handicap (2000 METRES)

DREAM ALL DAY was a Flemington winner over the mile before starting a $2.20 fav when beaten two lengths in 3rd there back in Feb. He's fitter for two runs back, beaten 3.02 lengths at Sandown behind Sound It Out last time and looks perfectly placed and ready to peak here from the good gate.
THE AUTUMN BELLE raced well here in SA during her 3yo season, running 2nd in the Listed Lindop Stakes, and she comes back to SA on the back of a narrow Sandown win over 2100m. She looks right in this again despite coming back in trip. WINE BARRON has won two of his past three and was a soft 4.37 length winner over SHAKESPEARE at Gawler last time. CHANCE TAKEN was sent out $2.50 fav in that race when well beaten. He was impressive prior to his local debut and appears to be an improver. LAVISH THINKER was placed at Bendigo three runs back and capable of improving in a race like this. PETA'S HEART was sent out a $2.90 fav at Murray Bridge two runs back and then made good ground, beaten 1.68 lengths behind The Western Front at Gawler last time. DANDRUFF comes off a good Albury win over this trip, and she was placed on the Parks back in Jun behind HIGH SOCIETY GIRL, who has been placed at her past couple.

SELECTIONS: 2 DREAMS ALL DAY, 4 The Autumn Belle, 5 Wine Barron, 10 Chance Taken
PLAY: Keen on DREAM ALL DAY each-way.

RACE 8 - 4:07PM Sportsbet Lightning Stakes (1050 METRES)

OVERFULL draws out but brings some solid Queensland form here for Peter Robl chasing home the likes of Spicy Martini and Arabian Summer at the back end of last year and comes off a narrow Sunshine Coast win in a $200,000 race. She draws out but has some X-factor and gets Lachie Neindorf. SCAMPI has won four of 11 and was a narrow Caulfield winner last time out over the 1100m. She draws the right gate and will take beating if she runs here. SIR NOW has won his past four and was too good for Beast Mode in BM80 grade on the Parks last time. He's won seven of 13, which speaks for itself, and he'll make his presence felt. CICALA was impressive on debut at Gawler and then followed up with an impressive Class 2 win over Noetzie. She is another with upside. DAPPER DARRI is unbeaten in three runs and was a $9 chance when a 0.25 length Sandown winner first-up from a spell in BM64 grade. This is a big step up, but he's a progressive type. ALWAYS EUNUFF has won his past two, the latest at Caulfield. MADAME MASERATI is another Victorian who won three on the bounce last time in and was beaten 8.1 lengths behind Bridal Waltz first-up in the Listed Creswick. FIELDELO was beaten 2.5 lengths in that race, and she has a handy record with Luke Currie coming to ride. OUT OF SQUARE won four of five starts this time before she was a $2.05 fav when beaten 0.25 lengths behind The Springle at Murray Bridge last time. HELLO ROMEO has been back to the jump-outs since he led and was on speed when 4th behind Sonifkirk at Caulfield on Jun 28. The stable has a great record here. COLMAR is a good horse on his day, drawn in the middle, and capable of being somewhere in the mix. MAJOR RUMBLE was an impressive 2.47 length win over Captain Harry at Murray Bridge. DAISYDOO draws the inside and has been racing well. PRANCING DIVA is on debut for David Huxtable and gets blinkers.

SELECTIONS: 6 OVERFULL, 2 Scampi, 1 Sir Now, 13 Cicala
PLAY: Backing OVERFULL each-way in a deep race.

RACE 9 - 4:42PM Grand Syndicates / Aaron Bain Racing Handicap (1100 METRES)

CALADAN was a Balaklava and Murray Bridge winner before jumping $2.50 when beaten 6.2 lengths there behind Noetzie in a BM66 last time. He draws the middle and should be in the mix. UP THE DEN draws wide but has won two of four starts and was only beaten 1.03 lengths in 6th first-up here behind Bouncing Beyond on May 31 and was a jump-out winner at Murray Bridge, beating Stokomo recently. MEH KEFFI was among Lightning nominations and was a More winner in February. She's had two jump-outs and draws wide. Fellow Victorian I AM PIKI has a handy record and was a $3.10 fav at Pakenham last time when beaten 1.25 lengths in a BM58 and draws a nice barrier. SUN FLIPPER draws the inside and was a good winner first-up from a spell. PURFECT LINE has been placed at both runs here and is capable. SOLAR MIST has been placed at all three runs this time around and could be a knockout.

SELECTIONS: 1 CALADAN, 3 Up The Den, 16 Meh Keffi, 14 I Am Piki
PLAY: Keen on CALADAN.