Darren Weir’s new stable star Platelet made it back to back Group 1 victories with a commanding win in the Group 1 $500,000 The Distinctive Homes Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville today.
Platelet wins back to back Group 1s in The Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes
Winning jockey Ben Melham capped off a great Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival collecting his third Group 1 win, his second on Platelet.
Melham steered Platelet to her first Group 1 win in the $400,000 Sportingbet Classic (1200m) at Morphettville a fortnight ago and then took out the Group 1 $500,000 Centrebet South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville last week on Escado.
Platelet settled well in the second half of the field with Melham working into the clear just after turning for home and stormed down the middle of the track to claim longshot Conservatorium who looked like causing a major boilover.
The Peter Snowden trained Altar also ran a mighty race and after setting the pace fought on extremely well in the straight to hold on for third.
Favourite Moment Of Change was given every chance by Luke Nolen and but couldn’t match it with the placegetters to finish fifth.
The Peter Moody trained Moment Of Change was sent out at the short odds of $2.15, and while Nolen saved every bit of ground on the fence just behind the leaders, the four year couldn’t sustain his finish after diving into between runners at the 250m.
Weir said that he was not overly confident going into race, admitting that he thought Platelet was not well in at the weights under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race.
“I wasn’t very confident but my racing manager said in-form horses can overcome that,” Weir said.
Weir, who has trained a host of feature race winners during his career and is currently leading the Victorian trainer’s premiership with one hundred and fifty winners for the season, was very excited after the race to have collected his second Group 1 trophy.
Platelet started at the good odds of $9 and scored by three quarters of a length from $71 chance Conservatorium with Altar also at double figure odds at $13 a further three quarters of a length away in third spot.
