There are not too many feature races that Ciaron Maher is yet to win and the Adelaide Cup is one of them.
That could change on Monday as Michael Dee and Blake Shinn will take the reins of the stable’s two runners in the Group 2 3200-metre feature with Promises Kept and Goldenstatewarrior.
Both Shinn and Dee would have had a happy flight to South Australia from New Zealand after their successes in feature races at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Shinn, who will partner Promises Kept at Morphettville, put on a riding display in the NZ$3.5 million The Kiwi (1500m) aboard Damask Rose while Dee took out the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Willydoit.
Dee takes the ride on former UK stayer Goldenstatewarrior who tracked wide around the home turn at Morphettville and stuck on for fourth placing in the main Cup lead-up, the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) on February 22.
“He was inclined to do more late but he did to float for a bit so headgear will go on him,” Maher’s assistant Jack Turnbull said.
“We’ll ride him with a little bit more initiative and get him involved. He’s got a lightweight and we do believe he’ll stay which is the main thing going into this race.”
This will be the first time Dee has ridden Goldenstatewarrior on a race day and it is the same situation for Shinn aboard five-year-old Promises Kept.
After a Tasmanian Summer Carnival preparation that delivered one win plus second placings in both the Group 3 Hobart Cup (2400m) and the Group 3 Launceston Cup (2400m), the $6 equal favourite with his stablemate goes to Adelaide ready for the two-mile trip.
A gear change could also be key to going one better this time.
“He went back to Ballarat and only had the one piece of work because he is very fit,” Turnbull said.
“He strode up the back straight on Tuesday morning and we can’t fault him.
“What we have done is changed it so he wears a norton bit and blinkers going on up in trip.
“He is a bit of a thinker and was having a look last time so we’re going back to the blinkers.
“With 58-kilos, they haven’t missed him but it is what it is.”
In an otherwise open race, the Phillip Stokes-trained Taramansour holds favouritism with betting sites at $4 for the Adelaide Cup 2025 which was first run in 1864.
