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Mount Gambier trainer Peter Hardacre heads to Morphettville on Saturday hoping some promising horses will put their hand up to target better races during the 2021 Adelaide Racing Carnival.
Peter Hardacre has six runners making the trip to Adelaide and saddles up three runners in the three-year-old race, which looms as defining moment as far as their respective autumn campaigns go.
"We're at the crossroads," Hardacre said.
"They either step up, or we wait for another time of year.
"That's the plan, to see how they fit into the scheme of things. It's a pretty hot race and we're going to find out a fair bit about a lot of them on Saturday."
Thrill Kill comes off an impressive first-up Warracknabeal victory last weekend and Hardacre said he had improved from his first campaign that saw him run third behind Outlaws Revenge on debut before beating Fighter at Morphettville in December.
"He was impressive, he showed a bit more of a turn of foot than we'd seen of him previously," Hardacre said.
"He's come back a lot stronger horse this time in and he's probably made the most improvement."
Chill With Teejay has always been a filly Hardacre had a strong opinion of and she won well first-up back in January before getting back in the run last time, something they will try and avoid on Saturday
"I've though she was my best three-year-old along the way," Hardacre said.
"We might ride her a bit different on Saturday and take a bit of bad luck out of the equation."
Spin The Reward is the third youngster returning to Adelaide on the back of a Morphettville win over the 1050m trip.
"He's still learning the caper," Hardacre said.
"He's certainly got his share of ability as well. It may be a bridge too far on Saturday but the owners are happy to have a go and see where he lines up."
Hardacre also has carnival plans with talented mare Robe Bay, who comes off a luckless first-up run at Bendigo.
Robe Bay created a big impression early in her career, but barriers manners saw the horse banned from racing in SA, prompting the move to Victoria.
"She got scratched three times in South Australia behind the barriers, refusing to load," Hardacre said.
"During COVID we sent her over to Dane Smith at Stawell and he did a lot of work with her. She's still a little bit tricky, but we've got a system that can hopefully work in Adelaide on Saturday and then we can keep stepping her out in distance and into better races."
Hardacre said the Listed Centaurea Stakes at Morphettville on Goodwood Day was her target.
"The 2000m is going to be right up her alley," he said.
"That's our aim and that's what we're building towards. She's a real stayer in the making and if we could get some black type that would be fantastic."
Robe Bay caught the eye first-up from a spell when making good ground in a strong race at Bendigo and Hardacre said the horse returned to Adelaide in great shape.
"She went super," Hardacre said.
"(Jockey) Jack Hill come back and said he just couldn't get through when he wanted to, the gaps were opening and closing too quickly.
"He thought she may not have won but probably should have run second but it was a really nice return to the races for her and it looks a nice race for her on Saturday."
