2016 Sandown Guineas Aim for Morton’s Fork

The Godolphin stable is looking at November’s Sandown Guineas 2016 as a long term spring goal for improving colt Morton’s Fork who won the first at Rosehill Gardens on the weekend.

Rosehill winner on Winter Stakes Day Morton’s Fork will target the mile features for three-year-olds during the spring. Photo: Steve Hart.

The two-year-old son of Ad Valorem has had five starts to date and on Saturday enjoyed his second turf triumph in the $85,000 Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1400m) to kick-off Winter Stakes Day.

Coming off back-to-back Randwick seconds over 1200m, the youngster showed potential as a miler with a strong effort in his first look at 1400m.

Morton’s Fork jumped the $2.60 favourite and regular rider Brenton Avdulla continued his association, getting the job done for the punters.

On the line Morton’s Fork had a half-length to spare over the Gerald Ryan-trained Harper’s Choice ($10) while the fellow O’Shea-trained Fanfaron ($12) finished the same distance back again for third to round out the trifecta.

Morton’s Fork will now head out for a spell ahead of a Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival return where he’ll be stepped up to a mile, while Saturday’s third placed Helmet gelding Fanfaron will race again in a fortnight’s time.

“Morton’s Fork will go for a spell tomorrow for a week,” O’Shea told The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday.

“He is a miler and races like the Carbine Club and Sandown Guineas could be nice races for him. There is a race for Fanfaron in two weeks over 1500m.”

The $200,000 Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) runs at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day on October 29, the opening of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, while the $250,000 Group 3 Sandown Guineas (1600m) is scheduled for November 12.

Also likely to back-up in the 1500m Sydney race in two weeks are Saturday’s unplaced duo of High Mist (4^th), who was luckless throughout never getting into the clear, and Jason Coyle’s still-green son of Hinchinbrook Salsonic (8^th).

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