The fillies are tipped to finish on top in Saturday’s Robert Sangster Stakes 2024 with the in-form Estriella heading markets on the Group 1 at Morphettville.

Punters are treated to a double shot of elite level racing as the Adelaide Autumn Carnival gets into full swing on the weekend.

The meeting’s marquee race is the Group 1 $1 million Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares.

The latest markets on the field of 14 are led by Ciaron Maher’s three-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible, Estriella, who pays current Robert Sangster Stakes odds of $3 through Ladbrokes.com.au to post her fourth win on the trot.

The up-and-comer has won a hat-trick in Melbourne taking out the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes, $1 million Inglis Sprint, and Listed Sunlight Classic back in February – March.

A Group 2 runner-up from last year, her form this prep has been imposing including the Sunlight at Flemington that she took out by a commanding 2.5 lengths from barrier 14 of 15 with 56.5kg.

She ticks plenty of boxes now heading to Morphettville for the first time, runs out the 1200m strongly, and even from wider out in gate 11 for jockey Mark Zahra presents a winning hope.

Estriella is followed in the Robert Sangster Sakes betting markets by a host of close fancies including I Am Me ($6), Benedetta ($7), and Zapateo ($8) all hot on her heels.

The fellow Maher-trained I Am Me boasts a 50% winning strike rate over the distance (8:4-1-1) and is after he first win since the Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last October.

The now five-year-old was a back-to-back Group 1 runner-up following that in the Manikato to Imperatriz and Sir Rupert Clarke behind Magic Time.

Fresh she was third to the since retired Imperatriz in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley 2.2 lengths beaten on March 23 with improvement to come now fitter second-up.

She is drawn to get a charmed run from barrier two with Blake Shinn aboard looking to hand Maher with his third straight Robert Sangster trophy following his recent successes with Snapdancer (2022) and Ruthless Dame (2023) in partnership with David Eustace.

Jason Warren saddles-up Benedetta from the inside alley in the Robert Sangster Stakes field this year with Daniel Stackhouse riding the last start Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) winner.

The four-year-old daughter of Hellbent relished a drop in grade after fourth place efforts in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap this prep to win her Morphettville lead-up on April 13.

She did it narrowly from gate 10 that day and is up to 1200m now ready to go again and be the first to complete the RN Irwin – Robert Sangster Stakes double since Driefontein (2014).

Zapateo is also a last start winner being kept safe in the markets with the airborne Jamie Kah aboard James Cummings’ talented Brazen Beau mare in gate three.

She has head two previous runs at Morphettville for two thirds including rounding out the Robert Sangster Stakes trifecta last autumn.

Her form of late has been spot on and includes a lead-up upset over Sunshine In Paris at Rosehill in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) on March 23.

Zapateo won that with 53kg and rises to 56.5kg on the weekend, but looks a big chance from a good gate with a gun hoop and plenty of stats in her favour.

In an open edition a number of other runners follow closely looking potential value including dual Challenge Stakes winner Passive Aggressive ($11), the local Phillip Stokes-trained Harry Angel filly Stretan Angel ($11) coming off a Listed Redelva second here, and Annabel Neasham’s Justify filly Learning To Fly ($14) last seen finishing fourth in Sydney’s Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) back in early March.

Click here for the latest Robert Sangster Stakes 2024 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2024 Robert Sangster Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	3x3506x321	ZAPATEO	James Cummings	Ms Jamie Kah	3	56.5kg		112
2	17x16122x3	I AM ME	Ciaron Maher	Blake Shinn	2	56.5kg		110
3	1x4x108x16	PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE	Grahame Begg	Jordan Childs	6	56.5kg		110
4	3x1134x441	BENEDETTA	Jason Warren	Daniel Stackhouse	1	56.5kg		108
5	x52x5010x3	ROOTS	Chris Waller	James McDonald	9	56.5kg		108
6	x21615x007	SKEW WIFF (NZ)	Mark Walker	Michael Dee	5	56.5kg		104
7	9x29825x12	CLIMBING STAR (NZ)	Phillip Stokes	Lachlan Neindorf	14	56.5kg		97
8	7x1117x012	LEMPICKA	Ken & Kasey Keys	Blaike McDougall	4	56.5kg		96
9	1×14243031	WONDERFUL TONIGHT	Sam Mynott	Craig Williams	12	56.5kg		93
10	353218×014	SNAPPED	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Todd Pannell	7	56.5kg		92
11	143x645x21	WALTZ ON BY	Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman	Billy Egan	8	56.5kg		91
12	1226×111	ESTRIELLA	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	11	54.5kg		100
13	111Lx24	LEARNING TO FLY	Annabel Neasham	Chad Schofield	13	54.5kg		95
14	21x217x42	STRETAN ANGEL	Phillip Stokes	Damian Lane	10	54.5kg		92

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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