Australian Racing: Overpass to loom over rivals

There’s big race action in both Adelaide and Perth this weekend with the former staging two Group 1 races and the latter the third renewal of the Quokka.

Race 7 Morphettville

Benagil @ 4.20

Race 8 Morphettville

She’s Got Pizzazz @ 13.00

Race 8 Ascot

Overpass @ 2.10

Benagil for Oaks glory

A good 4 track is expected at Morphettville with the $1,000,000 Australasian Oaks over 2000m the first of their two Group 1 contests.

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Too Darn Lizzie is expected to have her supporters, having registered three good placed efforts so far this prep.

All three of those efforts came in Group company, with the filly having ended her last prep with a Group 1 third in the Thousand Guineas over 1600m at Caulfield.

The daughter of Too Darn Hot was beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths in the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes over 1600m on a wet surface at Moonee Valley.

This filly steps up in distance here and, while she holds obvious claims, BENAGIL is preferred for trainer Glen Thompson.

The selection finished behind Too Darn Lizzie when fifth in the previously mentioned Group 1 Thousand Guineas over 1600m in November.

This filly was spelled following that effort and she broke through for her third career win when successful by half-a-length in a 1600m event back at Caulfield on her second start this prep.

The daughter of Manhattan Rain stepped up to this distance for the first time when finishing just over a length back in second in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill.

While Benagil won on soft going that day, the quicker going expected here is no issue and she is taken to overcome a wide barrier to deliver a victory under Mark Zahra.

Pizzazz to take Robert Sangster

The following race on the Morphettville card is the 1200m Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes, a race restricted to fillies & mares.

Last year’s winner Climbing Star is expected to feature prominently in the betting, as she seeks back-to-back wins in this contest.

Phillip Stokes’ representative went on to place third in the Group 1 Goodwood over this track and trip next time prior to being spelled.

While the mare has been unable to win in four starts since she registered a good third-place finish behind Group 1 winner Asfoora in the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes over 1100m here recently.

Returning from a spell that day, the extra distance is in her favour here and she holds obvious claims in this contest.

Asfoora is set to re-oppose here, however, she has shown her best form over shorter distances and is overlooked with a wide barrier a negative in this event.

Three-year-olds have won two of the last four renewals of this event and SHE’S GOT PIZZAZZ is selected to provide the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman stable with a win.

The Zoustar filly is improving with racing this prep, having resumed with a sixth-place finish when racing over 1000m down the straight at Flemington at the start of last month.

She’s Got Pizzazz took a step forward when losing out narrowly stepped up to this distance for a race held on good going at Caulfield two weeks later.

The youngster again encountered good going when breaking through for her first win this prep in the Group 3 P J Bell Stakes over this distance at Randwick three weeks ago.

The form of that race is working out well enough, with the third home winning at Randwick last weekend and the sixth and seventh both placing the same day.

Jordan Childs is set to ride for the first time here and jumping from an inside barrier his mount looks up to securing her first top level success.

Overpass to deliver Quokka win

The Kia Quokka, a $5,000,000 1200m event is set to see a field of 17 go to post for the race which comes up as the eighth race of the day at Ascot.

A good 4 track is expected for the contest, with Bjorn Baker’s OVERPASS hard to look past having won the two previous renewals of this contest.

This son of Vancouver won by nearly a length when contesting this event last year and he went on to register wins in two of his three subsequent starts last year.

The second of those wins saw him triumph by over half-a-length in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes over this track and trip in November.

Josh Parr’s mount came close to recording a Group 1 victory when narrowly beaten into second in the T J Smith Stakes over this distance at Randwick on his return to action earlier this month.

The six-year-old is defending an unbeaten record at this venue and he looks up to recording a hat-trick of wins in this event.