Kiwi import Odeon (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) has won three of his four starts this prep, and the gelding looks to earn his first black-type win in Saturday's G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville. A winner going a mile over this track on Mar. 25, Odeon was narrowly beaten by Grand Chancellor (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) in the Listed Adelaide Guineas on Apr. 8 and rebounded to take a 2000 metre benchmark 84 race convincingly at Caulfield three weeks later, suggesting he will appreciate this 2500 metre trip.
The lightly raced Netherfield (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) was a hard-luck fourth behind Waging War (Aus) (Rebel Raider {Aus}) in this race's local prep, the G3 Chairman's S. on Apr. 29, when beaten in a bunched finish after exiting barrier one. He has drawn barrier 13 this time, and trainer Mick Price didn't downplay his opinion of the horse last time.
“It was quite clear that he should have won,” Price told Racenet.com.au. “They did finish in a big bunch and if that's the South Australian Derby field, that's fine and it's going to be a matter of which one stays the 2500 metres the best.”
“He'll go across and it will be up to [Damien] Oliver where he lands I suppose, but over 2500 metres he doesn't want to be running the first mile too strongly,” Price added. “He wants to be tucked away to help him tough out the 2500 metres. I would say he needs a pretty conservative ride and a patient ride to help him.”
Rockstar Rebel (Aus) (Rebel Raider {Aus}) seeks his first win in his sixth try this campaign; however, despite finishing second at Bendigo over 2200 metres last week he does boast solid metropolitan form, with respectable fourths at Caulfield and Flemington this term. He tries pattern company for the first time on Saturday.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
