Treble-winning jockeys and Group 1 action dominates the day

The Group 1 action at Morphettville lived up to the hype on Saturday with two outstanding races which resulted in a pair of close finishes 

With both the Australasian Oaks and the Robert Sangster Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Morphettville, it looked like being a great afternoon of racing on paper. It was inches away from a roughie double as the action unfolded with the two Group 1 races won by a combined 0.4l. 

It was another fascinating day of action on Saturday as the Adelaide Carnival got underway at Morphettville with a pair of top-notch Group 1 races. There were also some treble-winning jockeys on other cards who will have enjoyed their weekend. 
Australasian Oaks ends up a thriller 
It took Vibrant Sun three starts to break her maiden tag but on start seven, she saluted in the Australasian Oaks, progressing at a rapid rate for the team of Mick Price and Michael Kent. The first three hit the line together in an outstanding race where they were covered by just 0.2l at the line. 
 
The winner picked up well to land a 1600m Group 3 on her most recent start and her stamina held out over 2000m, doing things the hard way from the front. It looked like a solid field this year so should be a strong guide to some of the top races for mares come the spring.  

Sangster Stakes sees a roughie winner 

Lacky Neindorf picked up the first Group 1 win of his young career in the Robert Sangster Stakes, saluting aboard Climbing Star for trainer Phillip Stokes. Things opened up perfectly on the inside as everyone else shunned the rails, with Neindorf staying to the inside and gaining the perfect run to time his challenge to perfection. 
 
On the far outside, our Saturday roughie tip Learning To Fly rushed home from last on the turn to grab second, a touch unfortunate that our $15.00 tip wasn’t a little closer to things as they hit the straight in a race that the  horse racing bookmakers  will have loved with favourite Estriella struggling with the step up in class.  
 
The race on paper looked like it was as strong a renewal as there has been for a while so this should be another excellent guide to the spring races from Morphettville this weekend. 

Currie rules Caulfield card 

It was an excellent afternoon at Caulfield for Luke Currie who picked up three wins from his eight rides with a couple of second-place efforts as well. The pick of those was Elphinstone in the Platinum Guineas as she rewarded the patience of her connections. 
 
Currie got the day started the right way with Awapuni Princess in the opening contest before adding a second winner with Berkeley Square who enjoyed the easier grade. Elphinstone closed the day out with her victory, saluting for the second time in her career.  

Vlad Duric and Sean Cormack both ride trebles 

Another hoop to treble up on the day was Vlad Duric at Eagle Farm. The veteran landed one of the Listed races on the card as well as two of the handicaps for a trio of different stables. Duric is back in Australia after a hugely successful stint in Singapore where he rode more than 700 winners and was crowned champion jockey. 
 
Sean Cormack is 53 now but he showed no signs of age with a treble on the Poly surface at Gold Coast. Two hold-up rides and a more forceful one from close to the pace saw the latecomer to race riding have one of his best days in the saddle. 

Each Saturday with Group 1 action produces great stories and this week was no exception. The quality action will remain at Morphettville for the next two weekends and if this one was anything to go by, they are not to be missed.