Trainer Tony McEvoy believes star sprinting mare Sunlight has a fourth Group One win at her mercy in the Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville.
Sunlight was soundly beaten by Lightning Stakes winner Gytrash in the Group Three R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) last Saturday week in Adelaide but McEvoy has been thrilled with the four-year-old leading into Saturday.
He believes the weight-for-age conditions against her own sex in the 1200m Robert Sangster at Morphettville are made to order for the three-time Group One winner, who is the $3 favourite.
“The race looks to be put on for her. She’s just got to be on her game,” McEvoy said.
“She’s fantastic. I’m really pleased with her.
“It looks like she has taken the natural improvement that she does from that first to second run.
“She has lightened off a little bit more which she needed to and she has worked really sharply since the race.
“I’m very, very happy with her.”
While Gytrash was a dominant winner of the Irwin, McEvoy was pleased with Sunlight’s second at her first start for 2020 and said it rated slightly higher than her first-up run last preparation in Sydney.
Sunlight has three wins second-up including the Group One Newmarket Handicap in March last year.
Weather could play a factor with Sunlight most effective on top of the ground but there is rain forecast for Adelaide during the week.
The Sangster Stakes nominations include fellow Group One winners I Am Excited and Lyre but it is the presence of star two-year-old Away Game that adds plenty of interest.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Away Game has won four of her seven starts including the $2 million Magic Millions Classic and she is second favourite at $5.
Away Game was second to Farnan in last month’s Golden Slipper before winning the Group Two Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick.
The Australasian Oaks (2000m) for three-year-old fillies is the other Group One race on Saturday’s program and McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his son Calvin, will run last-start Group Three Auraria Stakes winner Silent Sovereign.
