Australian Racing: Warrior looks golden for Adelaide Cup

It's Adelaide Cup Day at Morphettville, with the South Australian track one of five scheduled to host meetings on Monday.

They also race at Cowra, Devonport, Mackay and Warrnambool.

Race 7 Morphettville

Goldenstatewarrior @ 5.50

Race 6 Warrnambool

Cape Doctor @ 4.60

Race 6 Mackay

Real Key @ 5.00

Warrior to fight off Cup rivals

The feature race of the day, the Group 2 Adelaide Cup comes up as the seventh race on a nine-race card at Morphettville.

The 3200m contest is expected to take place on a good 4 track, with import Taramansour set to represent Phillip Stokes who took this race in both 2021 and 2022.

The eight-year-old is a winner already in 2025 having taken out a 2500m Benchmark 78 handicap at Flemington in January.

The gelding raced on a sound surface that day and has since placed twice in stronger events, most recently when third in the 2600m Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes here.

The son of Dansili wasn’t beaten far on that occasion and should have no issues stepping up in distance.

A number of his rivals from the Lord Reims Stakes reoppose here, including GOLDENSTATEWARRIOR, who is preferred on this occasion.

Ciaron Maher’s gelding had been in good form at a lower level in Melbourne earlier this prep, including when taking out a Benchmark 70 handicap at Geelong three starts back.

The 5.50 pick won by one-and-a-half-lengths over 2400m on that occasion and he followed that up with a fourth in a Benchmark 74 handicap at Sandown at the start of last month.

The son of Golden Horn gets in off a nice racing weight here and he is open to improvement stepping up in distance.

Michael Dee rides for the first time and, jumping from barrier eight, the Irish-bred gelding is taken to register his first win in Group company.

Cape to record win at Warrnambool

They are also set to race at Warrnambool, with the sixth race of the day a 1400m Benchmark 64 handicap.

The New Zealand-bred gelding My Angel Shell is expected to start as favourite, having shown plenty of ability in four starts to date.

The son of Merchant Navy broke through for his first success when winning by two lengths in a 1200m maiden at Terang last month.

The three-year-old recorded a comfortable success that day and backed it up with a one-and-a-half-length third in a Benchmark 64 handicap over the same distance at Moonee Valley.

Tom Dabernig’s gelding led at Terang and raced on the pace at Moonee Valley and with that in mind a double-figure barrier isn’t ideal stepping up in distance.

The more experienced CAPE DOCTOR is preferred here, with the gelding having performed well when returning to action at Ballarat last month.

The five-year-old lost out by two lengths in finishing third in a Benchmark 64 handicap over this distance on that occasion.

Racing from mid-division, the gelding stayed on nicely to claim third that day, having ended his last prep with a sixth over 1715m at Geelong in August.

With rain forecast the ground may ease from the current good 4, with the 4.60 selection proven on a wet surface having placed three times on soft going in 2024.

Trainer Symon Wilde boasts a 22% strike-rate (11/50) when teaming up with Linda Meech this season and their representative is taken to record his first win since 2023.

Key can salute in Mackay finale

A six-race card is schedule for Macky, with the concluding contest a 1300m open handicap expected to take place on a soft 5 track.

REAL KEY boasts a strong record at this venue, having won four times and placed third once from his seven starts here.

Now a ten-year-old, the veteran ended his last prep with a victory over 1200m at Eidsvold in early October and he has had two starts so far this prep.

The 5.00 pick trailed home last of five when contesting a 1000m event held on good going at Emerald on his return to action at the start of last month.

The son of Bon Hoffa took a step forward when finishing fourth of six, beaten just over three lengths stepped up to 1200m for an open handicap at Rockhampton subsequently.

The winner of 17 of his 81 career starts, he has the services of jockey Warwick Satherley and looks capable of returning to winning ways.