Mick Huxtable’s in-form galloper Lord Aspen heads the City Of Marion Stakes 2016 field facing off at Morphettville Racecourse in South Australian on Saturday.
Lord Aspen defends his title in the City Of Marion Stakes 2016 at Morphettville in Adelaide on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
One of the key features of the Adelaide Summer Racing Carnival, this season’s $100,000 Listed City Of Marion Stakes (1200m) has attracted a final field of 13 sprinters.
Heading the line-up and installed as the equal 59kg top weight, the defending champion Lord Aspen is drawn the inside alley for Morphettville Race 7 on Saturday with Matthew Neilson coming aboard for the ride.
The five-year-old Good Journey gelding chases a third win on the trot having saluted at Morphettville Parks over 1300m in late October before a last start win at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day.
He travelled to Victoria for the Melbourne Cup Carnival run and came away with a good win over Rough Justice over 1400m in the handicap carrying 55.5kg.
Lord Aspen rises in kilos and class, but has an outstanding record at the track and distance with three wins and a second from six starts over 1200m at Morphettville including his City Of Marion Stakes win last summer carrying just 54kg from a wide barrier (15).
Also giving the weight away on 59kg this weekend is the Jarrod McLean-trained Tried And Tired out to improve on his last start eighth to Lucky Hussler at Sandown in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m).
Coming off better lead-up form are a host of Adelaide locals including the Wayne Francis & Glen Kent-trained Lope De Vega four-year-old Lope De Capio who saluted at the track over 1050m on November 26.
Third in that same Benchmark 90 was the Lee Creek-trained six-year-old Casino Wizard who has finished top three in his four latest runs.
A five-time winner from 15 starts at the Morphettville track, the consistent son of Any Given Sunday was beaten under a length last time out and was brave in defeat carrying 61kg.
Jason Holder continues his association with the Mount Gambier-based galloper who will relish the drop back to 56.5kg on the weekend and who is drawn a treat in barrier three.
Also drawn well in barrier six is Will Clarken’s flying God’s Own six-year-old Mio Dio.
The veteran of 47 starts has won his past three on the trot in Adelaide including at the Morphettville course proper two back on November 5.
He carted 58kg to a two length win over Federal Court that day before saluting at Morphettville Parks on November 19 and gets in on the 54kg minimum in the City Of Marion Stakes.
Battle Brewing is another last start winner chasing more success on Saturday, the progressive four-year-old having won at the track / distance with Clare Lindop aboard a fortnight back.
He drops to 54kg on the weekend with Lindop retaining the ride on the Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas-trained son of Medaglia D’Oro.
Other notable hopes include the returning former Group 1 performer Prince Harada in his first Adelaide run and the Len Jarvis-trained Solo Flyer mare Beautiful Flyer coming off a second to Battle Brewing.
See below for the full City Of Marion Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and weights with betting to open shortly at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2016 City Of Marion Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
Morphettville Race 7 (4:18pm) – 10/12/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3414x6x211 | LORD ASPEN | Mick Huxtable | Matthew Neilson | 1 | 59kg | 99 |
| 2 | 3422810×08 | TRIED AND TIRED | Jarrod McLean | Daniel Moor | 5 | 59kg | 99 |
| 3 | 73116×2323 | CASINO WIZARD | Lee Creek | Jason Holder | 3 | 56.5kg | 94 |
| 4 | 38×1143016 | CAVALOCE | Will Clarken | Todd Pannell | 13 | 54kg | 92 |
| 5 | 684x2x131x | PRINCE HARADA | Marilyn Smith | Ryan Hurdle | 10 | 54kg | 88 |
| 6 | 25335x96x5 | BALIGARI | Lloyd Kennewell | Jake Toeroek | 7 | 54kg | 84 |
| 7 | 7x120117x1 | LOPE DE CAPIO | Wayne Francis & Glen Kent | Ms Jamie Kah | 12 | 54kg | 84 |
| 8 | 9528430111 | MIO DIO | Will Clarken | Damien Thornton | 6 | 54kg | 83 |
| 9 | 86x05213x4 | MUBAKKIR | Bill Papazaharoudakis | Paul Gatt | 9 | 54kg | 82 |
| 10 | x7300x00x6 | DEIHEROS | Lloyd Kennewell | Zac Spain (a) | 11 | 54kg | 78 |
| 11 | 5423310×11 | PENNY FOR A POUND | David Jolly | Matthew Poon (a) | 4 | 54kg | 78 |
| 12 | 3x112250x2 | BEAUTIFUL FLYER | Len Jarvis | Justin Potter | 8 | 54kg | 73 |
| 13 | 398266×141 | BATTLE BREWING | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | Clare Lindop | 2 | 54kg | 72 |
