MORPHETTVILLE PREVIEW July 25, 2009 DERMODY STAKES (1050M) The Listed Dermody Stakes is not only the last Stakes race (along with the Listed Beaufine Stakes at Belmont in Perth) for the 2008-09 season, but also it is unique in that it is the only Stakes race that caters exclusively for 2YOs and 3Y0s – all horses are less than a week away from aging a year. The Dermody, registered as the Lightning Stakes, began with the 2YO Eastern Court winning in 1970 – he repeated the win as a 3YO. The younger horses dominated the early years of this race – 13 of the first 16 winners were 2YOs – but that trend has since taken an about-turn with only seven more juveniles winning the 1050m scamper. In the past six years, Lisson Grove (2007) is the only 2YO to win the Dermody. Last year, the tough grey Morgan Dollar dominated the race from the front. The class runner this year is Augusta Proud. Her bank balance of more than $1.4 million is more prizemoney than the combined earnings of her 14 rivals. Incredibly, Augusta Proud, who has won six races, including the Gold Coast and Adelaide Magic Millions, is yet to win as a 3YO. This is her chance. The filly has been competing against the best opposition and running honestly without winning. Three times she has been placed at Stakes level, including her last-start third behind Midnight Mustang in the Listed Straight Six (1200m) at Flemington on May 16. Before that, she finished fourth behind the great Takeover Target and the inform I Am Invincible in the Group 1 The
Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville. That is outstanding form for the Dermody against significantly inferior opposition. Chad Lever replaces the holidaying Clare Lindop on Augusta Proud. He should push forward on the filly, and I expect her to sit outside the pace in the long, straight run to the home turn. The danger could be another 3YO filly, Exalted Keetah, who showed her talent by winning at the Flemington carnival last spring. There was only a length between Exalted Keetah (3rd) when she clashed with Augusta Proud (2 nd), behind Cardinal Virtue, in the Listed Redelva Stakes (1000m) at Cheltenham in February. From barrier one, Exalted Keetah should get a cosy run midfield chasing a fast pace. The speedy Cerberus Gal only needs to run up to her second to Champagne Harmony in the Group 2 Yallambee Stakes (1200m) on this track in March – in which Augusta Proud and Exalted Keetah finished behind her – to be right in it. Crossing to lead from barrier 14 may be a test, as she hasn’t raced for 126 days. The 2YOs are well represented by the fillies Pergram, Orbiting Belle and Dancescape. Mick Price’s last-start Flemington winner Orbiting Belle showed great strength at the end of the 1000m, and she should get a nice run, wide with cover, just behind the speed. Price’s other runner Pergram won the Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes (1000m) at Cheltenham in February. She is drawn perfectly in barrier two to track the speed. The tips: Augusta Proud to beat Exalted Keetah, Cerberus Gal, Orbiting Belle and Pergram.
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Predicted positions on settling
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Race 7, 3.52pm (Adelaide time)
AND ALSO The suggestion: back Oliver at Moonee Valley tomorrow. The response: that’s a given with two meetings to season’s end and Ollie hoping to rein in Craig Williams and win an eighth jockeys’ premiership, so thanks for very little. The comeback: not Ollie, Oliver. As in L for Luke, not D for Damien. The trainer, not the jockey. On a day when senior flat riders get only five chances (there’s a hurdle, a steeple and an apprentices-only flat race) D.O. can salute, but so can L.O., the young Caulfield conditioner. He is still learning a very difficult game, but he has a good strike rate, especially with cast-offs, and can add to his 10 metropolitan wins (35 overall) this season. R3 has two options: the always thereabouts Scenic Scene is the shortie at $2.60, but Ulysses ($9) might be better value each-way. R5 has Dollops, going for two from two for L.O. after a win in Adelaide for SA trainer David Jolly. This is the apprentices-only race, and Brenton Avdulla is riding as confidently and as well as any of the rising stars – if he is beaten on Scenic Scene, he can make amends on Dollops, around $3 prepost. By the way, don’t give the other Oliver the flick. Beltrois ($4 or so) looks the best of his pretty good hand. However, he needs more than that to catch Williams, who leads 70-68, and expects to start his day with a win on 2YO Tan Tat Brav ($1.70). Stephen Howell