PROMISING four-year-old Morialta kick started the new racing season in style and continues to enhance his reputation for astute Murray Bridge horseman Stuart Padman.
His dominant 3.4 length win on his home track has made Padman reassessing his opinion of the son of Jimmy Creed who again showed his above average finishing speed to make it three wins from his past six starts.
“I’ve never really been a big wrap for the horse,’’ Padman said.
“He’s a nice horse, but that was a pretty convincing win,’’ he said.
Padman said the win ticked a couple of key boxes going forward, the ability to handle a wet track and a quick turn around after racing at Morphettville last weekend
“We had to find out whether he handles the wet, he keeps on ticking the boxes as he goes,’’ Padman said.
“We might give him a little freshen-up.
“I’m not sure he’ll handle the really hard tracks over summer so we’ll try and get as much of out of him as we can through winter and spring and give him a decent break over summer,’’ he said.
It was also a welcome a return to the winner’s stall for talented apprentice Jacob Opperman who has spent the past two week in isolation after a riding stint in Victoria.
Meanwhile John Hickmott’s successful end to last season continued but this time in combination with training partner Carrina Riggs when Marina scored to give the pair their first success.
And former top two-year-old Free Of Debt recorded his first win for 931 days when he won the opener for the Chris Bieg stable.
The 2019 Blue Diamon placegetter has ridden a rollercoaster road since his two-year-old season and put the writing on the wall running second behind He’s A Balter at his previous start before defeating Brimarvi Vehero.
Jason Holder took riding honours with an early double aboard Jon O’Connor’s Left Hand Man and Manhattan Times for the Leon Macdonld and Andrew Gluyas stable.
