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Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s Explosive Jack is a $3.50 favourite in his quest for a third three-year-old major in the $502,250 TAB South Australian Derby at Morphettville on Saturday.
The Tasmanian and ATC Derby winner will jump from barrier 10 and is favourite ahead of the Cindy Alderson-trained Liqueuro $5, who drew nicely in barrier six, while in-form South Australian Royal Mile ($11) will jump from a perfect barrier draw in two.
Explosive Jack was an impressive Tasmanian Derby winner back in February, before the first of two good efforts in Victoria, chasing home stablemate Grandslam in the Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley over 2040m. He backed that up with another game effort behind Liqueuro in the St Leger Trial at Bendigo.
The son of Jakkalberry returned to winning form when upstaging his more-fancied rivals in the Group 1 ATC Derby at Randwick on April 10. At Morphettville he will be ridden by John Allen, chasing a fourth SA Derby win in six years.
Allen claimed his first Group 1 victory aboard Howard Be Thy Name in the in 2016, won with Volatile Mix in 2017 before his armchair ride aboard Russian Camelot in last year's feature.
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace also saddle-up Let's Karaka Deel, who comes off an eye-catching run behind Royal Mile in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas and will be ridden by Ben Allen from a wide gate, barrier 15.
Luckless Chairman's Stakes runner Deepstrike remained in Adelaide for his main mission in the Derby, with Damian Lane booked to ride.
He is an $8 chance after drawing barrier nine, while trainer Lee Creek and apprentice jockey Jacob Opperman will be chasing a SA victory aboard Royal Mile, who will try and complete the three-year-old feature treble after wins in the Listed Port Adelaide and Group 3 Chairman's Stakes at his past two starts.
Two fillies will take on the boys, Mick Huxtable's Shebringzit and the Lindsay Park-prepared Personal. The latter will try and emulate the feat of Qafila by backing up a week later from an eye-catching Australasian Oaks run and defeating the boys.
She faces the extreme outside gate, with Damien Oliver again to ride.
