Stakes racing in Melbourne and Sydney looks set to be overshadowed by the return of Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed at Morphettville on Saturday.
The mare will resume in the Group Three Spring Stakes (1200m), a traditional launching pad for locals with spring carnival ambitions.
Southern Speed winning the BMW Caulfield Cup (Group 1) at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
Southern Speed will have 10 rivals including Alcopop who has not raced since last year’s Caulfield Stakes due to injury.
He was fifth in the Spring Stakes last year before winning the Penny Edition and finishing runner-up to Rekindled Interest in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
Southern Speed was a brilliant first-up winner at Caulfield in January and just failed in the Australian Cup when Manighar denied her victory by a nose.
She wasn’t seen at her best in a two-start Sydney campaign finishing fifth in both the Ranvet Stakes and BMW.
Clare Lindop will partner Southern Speed from barrier two on Saturday while Dom Tourneur will ride Alcopop who has drawn eight.
The Morphettville meeting will also mark the return of the Tony McEvoy-trained Jimando in the Dominant Handicap (1050m).
The colt was fourth to Samaready in the Blue Diamond and was spelled after finishing sixth to All Too Hard in Melbourne’s Sires’ Produce Stakes in March.
He is among the entries for the Group One Caulfield Guineas in October.
