In what has emerged as an open renewal of Saturday’s $1 million Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville, a new band of three-year-olds is poised to challenge the older brigade in Adelaide’s premier sprint.
The Classic generation have won two of the past three editions of the race and appear capable of continuing the trend, with the Trent Edmonds-trained Extragalactic (Deep Field) jointly heading betting after the scratching of early favourite Rey Magnerio (Magnus).
The daughter of Deep Field (Northern Meteor) has rapidly developed into one of the country’s most exciting sprinting fillies, stringing together dominant wins at Pakenham and Caulfield before storming home from the rear in the Tobin Bronze Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) to miss narrowly behind Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon) – who reopposes on Saturday.
With just 50 kilograms on her back and barrier six in her favour, Extragalactic profiles as a filly with significant upside as she steps into weight-for-age company.
Tycoon Star, meanwhile, will attempt to emulate recent three-year-olds Reserve Bank (Capitalist) (2025) and Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy) (2023) by completing the Tobin Bronze-Goodwood double, although the Lindsay Park colt faces a sterner challenge after drawing the outside barrier.
The son of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) produced a career-best performance in the Tobin Bronze when covering ground throughout before proving too strong late under James McDonald, with co-trainer Ben Hayes crediting both the addition of visors and the champion jockey’s influence for the colt’s improvement.
“I think the visors did the trick,” Hayes said. “It was a tough win also as he sat wide throughout and he won quite nicely.”
McDonald will be absent on Saturday due to commitments on the Gold Coast, with Luke Currie taking over aboard the colt, who has remained in Adelaide since his last-start success and will carry 54.5 kilos.
“Ash, who has been looking after him, said he has been bright and well and really enjoying it,” Hayes said.
“We’re really excited and think he’s a genuine chance. If he can win that race, he’s got a pretty good page behind him, and being Group 1-placed and a stakes winner as a two-year-old, you never know.
“He’s racing for his future, but three-year-olds in the Goodwood have a good record.”
Extragalactic sits as equal $5 favourite alongside Flying For Fun (Spieth) who surged into contention following a luckless fourth in the Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – where she stormed home under Zac Lloyd to be denied just 0.1 lengths by Geegees Mistruth (Wordsmith).
The Bryce Heys-trained four-year-old has won twice at stakes level this preparation, including the McCarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) in Sydney, and shapes as a major threat after drawing barrier ten. She will shoulder 54 kilos as Lloyd retains the ride.
While the eastern states youngsters dominate much of the pre-race discussion, Western Australia also holds a strong hand through rapidly improving filly Talkanco (I'm All The Talk), who arrives in Adelaide off a career-defining effort in the $5 million Quokka (1200m).
The Daniel and Ben Pearce-trained daughter of I’m All The Talk (Stratum) charged home for third behind Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) and Rey Magnerio at Ascot and connections quickly identified the Goodwood as an ideal Group 1 target given her lightweight of 53.5 kilos.
Talkanco has reportedly handled her first interstate trip well and further enhanced her claims when drawing barrier two for Lucy Fiore.
South Australia’s hopes largely rest with Andrew Gluyas-trained five-year-old Watchme Win (Harry Angel), who enters the race in career-best form after successive runner-up finishes in the Irwin Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) and John Hawkes Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) – finishing behind Saturday rival Grand Larceny (Zoustar) in the latter.
Having long promised to measure up at elite level, Gluyas believes Watchme Win represents a good opportunity for the stable to finally secure the sprint after previous near-misses with mares Another Award (Shamus Award) and Augusta Proud (More Than Ready).
The Harry Angel (Dark Angel) gelding again faces a difficult draw in barrier 12, but the rise to 1200 metres and drop to 56 kilos after carrying 60 last start shapes as a significant advantage.
The old guard is arguably headed by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s New Zealand import Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai) – the sole Group 1 winner of the field.
The six-year-old son of Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) won a Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Trentham and Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) at Pukekohe for his Barneswood Farm owners Chris and Sarah Green before crossing the Tasman, where he has added the Sandown Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) and So You Think Stakes (1500m).
“We wouldn’t have sent him over there if we didn’t believe he was good enough,” Chris Green said. “Peter is a good communicator, the horse is going well and we expect him to improve off that first-up run [when fourth] in the Hareeba Stakes [Listed, 1200m] at Mornington.”
Desert Lightning was rated a $10 chance with Sportsbet on Friday, with the gelding set to carry 56 kilos under jockey Luke Nolen.
Meanwhile, Pride Of Dubai’s star mare Pride Of Jenni also features on Saturday, making her return to the Sunshine State in the Hollindale Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m) at the Gold Coast.
The Ciaron Maher-trained eight-year-old hasn’t saluted since the Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on opening day at last year’s Melbourne Cup carnival, and sits on the third line of betting for the Group 2 feature ($3.80) behind Birdman (Free Eagle) ($3.60) and Cups hero Half Yours (St Jean) ($3.60).
Last seen finishing fifth in the Queen Of The Turf (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick on April 11, Pride Of Jenni’s great recovery convinced owner Tony Ottobre and trainer Ciaron Maher to head to Queensland.
"It was never the plan, we were always going to give her the three runs in the autumn, which were some very high-level races," Ottobre told SENTrack.
"She came out of those three runs a treat so we thought it'd probably be wise just to keep her ticking over.
"It would have been remiss of us not to take her to Queensland and let the Queensland public have a look at this fantastic, beautiful animal that's won Horse of the Year go around and hopefully do her thing where she can get out to a margin and stretch them and make it all exciting."
Provided she performs up to expectations this weekend, Pride Of Jenni will progress to the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) on May 23. Her only Queensland appearance came in last year's Doomben Cup, in which she finished tenth.
The race features two Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winners, with the John Symons and Sheila Laxon-trained Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice) set to resume after strong jump-outs in Victoria. The Gold Coast track is rated a Soft 6.















