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Weekend wrap: Maher/Eustace cap 'unbelievable' carnival with Goodwood triumph

3 minute read

One word summed up the 2023 South Australian Autumn Racing Carnival for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace after Royal Merchant claimed the $502,250 Group 1 Goodwood at Morphettville on Saturday.

"Unbelievable,'' Eustace said.

The powerhouse training partnership grabbing three of the four Group 1's and capped the carnival with success in SA's time honoured sprint feature to go with their Australasian Oaks win with Affair A Suivre and Ruthless Dame's win in the Robert Sangster Stakes two weeks earlier.

Caught wide throughout, the three-year-old proved too strong for her more season rivals holding off a fast finishing dive from local mare Another Award, her second Group 1 placing in two weeks, with Godolphin's Zapateo running third.

It was the second leg of a feature double for Hong Kong bound rider Michael Dee who won the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes with Snapped for the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable.

Robbie Griffiths and Matt de Kock finally got some luck in Adelaide when Let'sbefrankbaby claimed the SA Fillies Classic over 2500m, their decision to bypass the Australasian Oaks reaping the rewards.

The stable had to be content with second spot in both the Without Fear and David Coles features with two-year-old Iphimedia and Alberfeldie Boy running third in the Group 1 SA Derby before their breakthrough in the Group 3 feature.

Derby winning jockey Billy Egan grabbed another black type win when Foxy Frida made amends for her narrow Queen Of The South defeat to win the R A Lee Stakes, while Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr added another SA feature to their resume when Thought Provoking fought off local Agreeable in the Listed Centaurea Stakes for the mares.

Madison Lloyd, who had her first Group 1 ride in the Goodwood walked away from Morphettville with a riding double aboard Silent Surrente and Aston Rapova before backing that up with two wins at Sandown on Sunday.


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