Local Morphettville trainer Richard Jolly will be all smiles after The Goodwood 2013 barrier draw for Saturday’s Adelaide feature with his smart four-year-old Karacatis coming up with a nice gate seven of 18 draw.
Moment Of Change (pictured) is tipped as the horse to beat in The Goodwood 2013. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Set to run as Morphettville Race 7 at 4:05pm (local), this year’s $500,000 Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) is shaping up as an intriguing clash with Group 1 winners Moment Of Change (barrier six) and Platelet (barrier five) heading the field.
One of the best fancied of the locals to hold off the contingent of interstate raiders meanwhile is Hussonet gelding Karacatis who with barrier seven is drawn one outside of the Peter Moody-trained favourite Moment Of Change.
Karacatis has finished outside the top three just once in their 11 start career to date with four wins and six minor placings.
They only stepped up to black type company last start on April 27 and they produced an excellent second when defeated just a long neck by fellow The Goodwood acceptor General Truce in the Group 3 DC McKay Stakes (1100m).
“He probably got to the front (in the McKay) a little too soon and was left a sitting shot but I’m more than happy with him,” Jolly said.
Jolly will give the chance to improve on that and race at the highest level this weekend, the trainer confident Karacatis can give the top fancies a run for their money.
The dedicated trainer was gutted last Saturday after his progressive Strada three-year-old Hioctdane ran second to Escado in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) from the ‘visitor’s draw’ (15 of 15) and hopes Karacatis can atone with their nice Goodwood draw.
He also came close to The Goodwood trophy 12 months ago when the ill-fated Stirling Grove ran a cracking third behind super mare Black Caviar, Jolly drawing comparisons behind half-a-million-dollar earner Stirling Grove and Karacatis.
“Stirling Grove was a good juvenile and trained on while this bloke wasn’t as good at the same age but is showing the same ability,” he said.
The Goodwood betting markets on the final field will be released at bookmaker.com.au shortly making now the time to open an account with the 100 percent Australian operated sportsbook.
