3 minute read

Veteran Mount Gambier horseman Michael O’Leary is on side with punters and believes bookmakers got it wrong with Picaroon in Friday’s night’s $102,250 Alcopop Series Final (1600m) at Morphettville.

Picaroon went up $16 but was quickly backed into an $8 favourite in what is one of the most even fields assembled at Morphettville in a recent memory.

The race features eight last-start winners and O'Leary said Picaroon ticks a lot of boxes.

"I think she's good value,'' O'Leary said.

"She's drawn a good gate, got the minimum weight and Jacob (Opperman) is riding well,'' he said,

O'Leary said he bypassed a winnable race two weeks earlier to focus on the Alcopop Final and is confident the best of Picaroon will come next time around when there is some give in the tracks.

"I could have run her in Adelaide a fortnight ago, but I thought I'd hold her back for this,'' O'Leary said.

"She's only going to have a light preparation, history tells me a lot of mares don't like the hot weather and I think she could win a nice race through the winter,'' he said.

A legend when it comes to South East racing, O'Leary had nothing but praise for Jacob Opperman who can top off a brilliant 2021 by claiming another feature.

"He's bloody good kid,'' O'Leary said.

"When he a was 10 years old he'd come to the track all the time carry a jockey's whip everywhere he went. All he ever wanted to do is be a jockey.

"He's done a great job.

"His mother and father have also done a great job helping him get to where he is today as well,'' he said.