A line-up of potential The Goodwood hopefuls faces off in Saturday’s 2017 RN Irwin Stakes at Morphettville Racecourse, betting tips and the latest odds on the Adelaide sprint found below.
Set to run as Morphettville Race 6 at 3:33pm (local time), this year’s $120,000 Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) field features just the nine runners.
A traditional lead-up to the $1 million Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) back at the track on May 20, favourite in RN Irwin Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au this autumn is Illustrious Lad ($3.10).
Early money is coming in for the Peter Gelagotis-trained five-year-old who is out to atone for a recent poor patch of form.
The son of I Am Invincible hasn’t won since the Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight last Victoria Derby Day, but is two-from-three at the Morphettville track.
He returns to South Australia for the first time since saluting in back-to-back races last season and comes off successive eleventh place finishes in Group 1 Melbourne sprints.
The latest saw him beaten just over five lengths by the winner Silent Sedition in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and there’s little doubt the galloper will relish the easier assignment this weekend.
The bookies also have Illustrious Lad safe in pre-nomination 2017 The Goodwood betting at a current quote of $10, markets led by Darren Weir’s reigning champ Black Heart Bart ($2.60).
Following Illustrious Lad in the RN Irwin Stakes odds are the early market mover Viddora ($4.20) drawn barrier one and the Ciaron Maher-trained mare Petits Filous ($4.40) having just her second start since last Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival.
Locally prepared by Lloyd Kennewell, four-year-old I Am Invincible mare Viddora gets the run of the race on Saturday from the inside alley with Chris Parnham coming aboard for the ride.
She has finished runner-up in her latest three starts going back to Eagle Farm in late December, including her second to Target In Sight in the $1 million Magic Millions Sprint (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
Her lead-up into the Group 3 Irwin Stakes was a devastatingly close second when beaten only a short half-head in the Listed Manihi Classic (1100m) on April 1 back home.
Petits Filous is a now four-year-old daughter of Street Boss who finished well back when 13th to Precious Gem in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville last May.
Her only run since was a first-up fourth under a half-length beaten over 955m at Moonee Valley on William Reid Stakes night.
She will relish the step-up in distance this Saturday, Petits Filous undefeated with three previous 1100m wins to date.
In a wide-open race the Darren Weir-trained Group 3 winning Snitzel stallion Sooboog ($6) and Lee Creek’s Morphettville specialist Casino Wizard ($9) drawn alongside each other in barriers seven and six respectively round out the single-figure fancies.
See below for the latest RN Irwin Stakes 2017 betting markets, fixed win odds now open at Ladbrokes.com.au.