Racing
Sghirripa & Oxlade hopeful for Goodwood
He’s somewhat of the forgotten horse in this year’s field, but Strathalbyn trainer Shane Oxlade is confident Sghirripa can make his presence felt from the outside gate in Saturday’s $1m Sportsbet Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville.
Oxlade, who trains in partnership with daughter Cassie, will saddle up Sghirripa in SA's sprint showcase for a second successive year after a luckless run. He went back on a moderate tempo before flashing late to be beaten 2.7 lengths behind Benedetta last year.
"I can't change the barrier, I would have liked to have drawn the middle, but I couldn't be happier with the horse,'' Oxlade said.
Oxlade said the race shape would be crucial to Sghirripa's chances, tempo in the 13-horse field a huge factor with 2022 Everest winner Giga Kick drawn alongside him in barrier 12.
"It may end up similar to last year,'' Oxlade added.
"We went back, there wasn't a heap of speed in the race, and he got beaten a bit over two and a half lengths.
"I can see a similar compact race this year. Giga Kick is drawn inside us. I don't imagine he'd want to go too far back, but with that weight, he can probably go where he wants.
"We just want our bloke to jump well and then make a decision,'' he said.
Sghirripa comes off a solid effort when beaten 0.38 lengths behind Asfoora in the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes on April 12, and Oxlade said the horse was in superb order.
"I was really happy with his run in the Irwin,'' Oxlade said.
"I didn't really want to be in front, I was hoping he could just slot in behind them. There was a couple who didn't jump as well as you'd expect.
"I've had a few people say he's out of form, but I certainly don't subscribe to that.
"He's had a few things go wrong, bumped into a couple of very hard tracks over the border.
"I've never taken him to the races and not been happy with him.
"He's in a really good place,'' he said.
Ben Price will again be in the saddle, and it's the second time both he and older brother Will have rides in the SA sprint feature, a race their dad, Simon, finished second in back in 2010. The pair riding the Will Clarken-trained stablemates Beau Rossa (13th) and Ironclad (15th) in 2022.
Will rides another somewhat forgotten runner in the Will Clarken & Niki O'Shea-trained Prairie Flower, who is marked a $26 chance with the bookmakers despite another eye-catching effort behind Charm Stone in the Group 1 Sangster Stakes.
Both horses have plenty in common.
Like Sghirripa in the past two years, Prairie Flower is responsible for the luckless run in Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield back in February.
Sent out a $51 chance, Prairie Flower was charging late when she ran out of room and beaten 4.46 lengths behind subsequent Group 1 All Aged Stakes winner Jimmysstar, who is widely considered as one of sprinting's next stars and a genuine Everest contender.
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