The G1 Darley Goodwood S., South Australia's most prestigious sprint, has in the past drawn some true stars of that division, including world champion sprinters Black Caviar (Aus) and Takeover Target (Aus). While no one in this year's lineup is up to that standard, the 1200 metre contest has drawn some admirable competitors, including favoured Black Heart Bart (Aus) (Blackfriars {Aus}). The 6-year-old gelding won this last year and his been worse than second just once since, when ninth in last year's G1 Cox Plate. He has added four more Group 1 victories in the interim, and enters this off an 84-day rest off back-to-back scores in the G1 CF Orr S. and G1 Futurity S.
Cut from a similar cloth is the 5-year-old gelding Malaguerra (Aus), a son of Black Caviar's close relative Magnus (Aus) who won the G1 BTC Cup a year ago. The Peter Gelagotis charge stepped up even further when taking out last season's G1 Darley Classic at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and added the G2 Australia S. in January before coming home sixth behind Black Heart Bart in the CF Orr. He lowers his sights somewhat off a seventh behind the champion sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) in the G1 TJ Smith S. on Apr. 1.
The mare Secret Agenda (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) looks for her third straight off a score in the G1 UBET Classic over this track and trip on May 6, and one to watch at a price is Faatinah (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}), who was good enough to finish second in the G1 Oakleigh Plate earlier this prep and who was an unlucky and narrowly beaten fourth in the G3 DC McKay S. over this track on May 6.
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