Gordon Richards’ popular sprint star Gytrash has firmed into clear favouritism to take out the 2021 The Goodwood first-up in Adelaide this weekend.

Gytrash is firming favourite to win the 2021 The Goodwood first-up. Photo: Steve Hart.

The exciting Lope De Vega five-year-old lines-up from barrier four of eleven in a quality line-up for this year’s Group 1 $502,250 The Furphy Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville.

Jocky Jason Collett partners the classy chestnut hoping to kick off where he left off after guiding Gytrash to a last start victory in the $1 million Yes Yes Yes Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill in the wet last October.

That performance capped off a brilliant campaign for the horse that has won close to $3.2 million in prize money.

Gytrash was beaten a whisker in last year’s The Goodwood results when finishing a devastatingly close second to Trekking in 2020.

That spring, he went on to enjoy a Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) victory at Randwick defeating Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip before his brave third to Classique Legend in the $15 million The Everest (1200m).

Saturday marks the highly-anticipated return of the local hero who has been out in the paddock after undergoing minor surgery for bone chips.

Gytrash has killer form first-up (6:4-2-0), loves the Morphettville track (10:3-3-3) and, based on all reports from the stable, is ready to fire fresh in The Goodwood 2021.

“He hasn’t turned a hair since being back in this preparation,” Richards told the media this week.

“I was very happy with a recent jump-out so it’s all good.

“I anguished over jockeys Jason Holder and Jason Collett but was able to get Jason Collett to come down as he won on him in Sydney.

“Sydney was a great experience and an exciting time.’’

The punters agree with the galloper firming from $3.60 to $3.20 in the latest The Goodwood odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The danger on the drift in The Goodwood betting out from $3.80 to $4.20 is fellow local hero, the David Jolly-trained Behemoth in barrier six with Craig Williams in the saddle.

The five-year-old All Too Hard gelding has been kept fresh since his third to Mugatoo at The Valley in the $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m) and should relish a return to Adelaide here.

He has had nine runs at the course for four wins and three thirds, and Saturday will be his third shot at The Goodwood title.

The hulking sprinter was runner-up to Despatch in 2019 before crossing fourth last autumn, and Jolly is hoping it’s third time lucky on the weekend.

Robert Sangster Stakes winning filly Instant Celebrity is also firming occupying the third line of betting in from $7 to $6 to complete the double most recently achieved by Black Caviar (2012) and Platelet (2013).

The Goodwood is set to run as Morphettville Race 8 at 4:22pm (AEST) and full markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au are available here.