The John O’Shea trained Morton’s Fork continues to hold down favouritism for the Group 2 $250,000 Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Morton’s Fork. above, is the clear cut favourite for the Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas at Sandown. Photo by Steve Hart.
Morton’s Fork is now into odds on with Ladbrokes.com.au at $1.95 and jockey Craig Williams gives plenty of reasons why he is the one to beat following his last start second to Comin’ Through in the Group 3 $200,000 The Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 29.
“I was really happy throughout the run. We got a nice position and once we pressed the button at the top of the straight the winner was just far too sharp for my horse at the top of the straight,” Williams said.
“The further we got into the race and we were getting restricted for room having horses leaning all over him. I thought he showed great spirit late and versatility.”
“He just lacked that acceleration at the top of the straight but he is definitely a horse that is going to be hard to hold out tomorrow.”
“And I think in the Autumn he is going to be a nice horse.”
Williams is still working out his race tactics but can see Morton’s Fork taking advantage of the good barrier draw at five in the nine horse Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas field.
“I know he is quite versatile. It was the first time we were actually able to get him out of the gates and put him into a nice position so if we can emulate a similar type of run as his last start that will be good,” Williams said.
“But usually he comes from further back but we are the first time back at Sandown and it will be interesting to see how the track does play.”
The lightly raced Morton’s Fork has only been to the races on eight occasions for three wins and four seconds and showed plenty of promise at the start of the Spring Carnival with a first up win in a 1300m BenchMark 74 Handicap at Rosehill before running fifth to Peacock in the Listed $120,000 Polytrack Gothic Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 15.
O’Shea is also very positive about the chances of Morton’s Fork in the Zipping Classic and expects him to run well on his last start second in the Carbine Club Stakes.
“He was a bit unlucky at Caulfield and then ran very well at Flemington last time out,” O’Shea said.
“That was a very strong version of the Carbine Club, one of the best for a few years, so if he can run up to that run he should perform well here.”
Darren Weir’s in-form filly Jennifer Lynn is on the second line of betting for the the Sandown Guineas at $3.90 and gets her chance in tougher company after completing a hat trick of wins with her victory in the Listed $150,000 Lexus Hybrid Plate (1400m) at Flemington on November 1.
Next in the betting is the Matthew Smith trained Faraway Town who has had friends at $7.50 and is stepping up in class after a last start ninth to Jennifer Lynn in the Lexus Hybrid Plate.
