Festival Hire Hcp

With the rail in the True position on a Heavy 9 track, the inside section is highly susceptible to becoming chopped up and inferior ground as the meeting progresses. While an inside draw allows for ground-saving early, jockeys will likely be looking to peel off the fence upon straightening to find firmer, less-trafficked ground wider out. This could disadvantage horses locked away on the rail in the straight and advantage those who can make their runs down the center of the track.

The Heavy (9) rating is the single most significant factor in this race. This surface will turn the race into a true test of strength and will significantly blunt the finishing speed of most runners. It greatly favours specialist wet-track performers who have proven they can handle such demanding conditions. The genuine pace on this ground will ensure leaders are vulnerable late, setting the race up perfectly for strong, proven closers who can sustain a long run.

The 1050m start at Morphettville provides a fair run to the home turn, allowing horses drawn wide some opportunity to cross. However, on a Heavy 9 track, any extra energy expended early to find a position will be severely taxing. The relatively short straight means that backmarkers cannot afford to give the leaders too much of a start and will need to be launching their runs before straightening for home. The grueling nature of the heavy track over this short course will make it feel more like a 1200m+ race, placing a premium on stamina.

This is an Open Handicap for 4-year-olds and upwards, meaning it brings together a field of seasoned sprinters. The weight scale is relatively compressed (57.5kg down to 52.0kg), which may not be enough to slow down the classier animals. In these conditions, toughness, race fitness, and an ability to handle the heavy going will be far more important than a small weight advantage.