The 2014 South Australian Derby field and barrier draw has been released; with the in-form Gamblin’ Guru set to jump from the outside barrier in the Group 1 event at Morphettville on Saturday.
Gamblin' Guru will jump from the outside barrier in the 2014 South Australian Derby at Morphettville on Saturday. Photo by: Jenny Barnes
Gamblin’ Guru stamped himself as a leading contender for the 2014 South Australian Derby with narrow wins in both the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) at Morphettville on April 12 and the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at the same venue a fortnight later, but will need plenty of luck when he jumps from barrier eighteen on Saturday.
Bring Something is also taking winning form into the South Australia but, like Gamblin’ Guru, will jump from the second half of the field after drawing barrier 14.
Bring Something was competitive at the highest level of racing without winning during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, finishing seventh in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m), and has found winning form during his autumn campaign; taking out a maiden at Cranbourne by six and a half lengths before winning the Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield on April 12.
Other horses in the 2014 South Australian Derby field that are set to jump from a wide barrier include Chris Bieg-trained Excites Zelady (barrier 17), New Zealand galloper Family Pride (barrier 18), and David Hayes-trained Surging Wave.
One of the biggest winners from the South Australian Derby barrier draw was Order Of The Sun, who is set to jump from barrier four in the Group 1 event this weekend.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse has always had a big opinion of Order Of The Sun, electing to run the Encosta De Lago colt in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, and he has been well-backed in South Australian Derby betting markets with a dominant seven lengths win in the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on April 25.
Starting next to Order Of The Sun in the South Australian Derby will be talented gelding Kushadasi, who has no luck in his two race starts since taking out the Anspach Removals & Storage Handicap (1600m) at Morphettville on March 29.
Kushadasi stormed home late to finish a narrow second behind Gamblin’ Guru in the Port Adelaide Guineas and was set far too tough a task when he was settled at the tail of the field in the Chairman’s Stakes.
The 2014 South Australian Derby field is rounded out by Best Case (barrier seven), Surge Ahead (barrier ten), Honey Steel’s Gold (barrier 12), Crime Fighter (barrier nine), Majestic Moment (barrier five), More Rewarding (barrier two), Gravitational (barrier eight), Rednav (barrier 13), Scratchy Bottom (barrier one), Lord Athenaeum (barrier six), Word Of Mouth (barrier 11) and first emergency Stellarized (barrier 16).
