Benedetta returns for Stakes claim
Benedetta will be aiming to continue her great Morphettville form in Saturday’s $1 million Sportsbet Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).
The six-year-old mare won her first Group 1 race in the 2024 The Goodwood and the proven sprinter has won twice in three starts at the track.
Benedetta won the R N Irwin Stakes in 2024, before a third placing in the Robert Sangster a fortnight before her The Goodwood success.
Two years after her The Goodwood win, Benedetta has changed trainers from Jason Warren to Ciaron Maher ahead of being sold at next month’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
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The daughter of Hellbent has recently placed in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) earlier this year and has also run in Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and the William Reid Stakes (1200m).
Trainer Mick Price hopes to go back-to-back with Charm Stone and he is not fussed by the wide barrier drawn by the five-year-old.
Recent Sangster history says a wide barrier can still claim the ultimate success, with Snapdancer winning from barrier 15 in 2022, Ruthless Dame went from gate 12 in 2023 and Climbing Star was in barrier 14 in 2024.
Eight of the past nine Sangster winners have come from wide barriers in the double digits and Price won the race with Secret Agenda from barrier 16 in 2017.
Two-time Group 1 winner, Charm Stone will be ridden by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra and an overseas trip to Royal Ascot for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes (1200m) could be a reality, but Saturday’s run is all important.
