Another magnificent day of racing at Morphettville saw Darren Weir and John Allen go back to back in the Group 1 UBET SA Derby with Volatile Mix, while the other two black-type races saw two nice wins for some promising local horses.
Race 2 Group 3 - UBET SA Sires’ Produce Stakes
She wasn’t well supported in the market but the best credentialed runner in the field was too classy in Saturday’s Group 3 Sire’s Produce Stakes.
Time Awaits had a Listed win to her name and two Group 3 second placings heading into Saturday’s Group 3 but jumped at $10.70 after finishing 3.6 lengths off Broadband in their last start.
After a tight three-way race between Time Awaits, Broadband and Casino Fourteen down the straight it was the Tony McEvoy trained filly who went on to record a tough half-length victory on the well backed favourite and the Victorian visitor.
Both Snitzepeg and Danger Deal looked like they could threaten the breakaway three and swoop late but Time Awaits was too strong to the line and gave the McEvoy/Thornton combination their second black-type winner of the Carnival.
Race 6 – Listed Adelaide Galvanising Adelaide Guineas
The bookies were laughing after the John Hyam trained Vienna Miss held off the fast finishing and heavily backed favourite Petition to win the Listed Adelaide Guineas.
$108 chance Vienna Miss was given a lovely ride by Katelyn Mallyon sitting just off the speed for most of the race and then making her move in the straight to hold off the hot favourite Petition and the Gordon Richards trained Chapel City.
The Guineas win was the second in the career of Vienna Miss and while she was not fancied, she showed that the form from the Listed Nitschke continues to hold up, running ninth in that race two weeks earlier.
Race 7 – Group UBET South Australian Derby
It was back-to-back Group 1 South Australian Derby victories for Darren Weir and John Allen as Volatile Mix hit the front in the final 100m to claim a memorable win over the well-fancied runners, Ruthven and Odeon.
Volatile Mix was a big drifter in the market, opening at $8 with UBET and jumping at $25.50.
A lovely, patient ride from the in-from John Allen had Volatile Mix sitting near the back of the field for the majority of the race but made his run heading into the home turn and at the 200m got into clear running and then let down with a strong run to finish over the top of the two well backed runners in Ruthven and Odeon.
Darren Weir and John Allen have now combined for three black-type winners over the Carnival and with seven black-type races on the card this weekend, they should have a good chance to add to that tally.
