Exalted Lightning emerged as one of the top local Adelaide Cup hopes when he won the listed Birthday Cup (2035m) at Morphettville last Saturday.
Exalted Lightning ($9) charged home from last with a withering run over the concluding stages to record his ninth win from 45 starts.
The gelding has improved many lengths since entering the Murray Bridge stables of Grant Young. His record in Young’s care is 11 starts for five wins and three seconds.
The Blevic six-year-old gives Young an excellent opportunity to win his first Adelaide Cup when the $400,000 Group 2 feature is run on Monday March 12. Young finished second with his grand campaigner Tunes in the 2016 Adelaide Cup.
Jockey Todd Pannell, whose best Adelaide Cup results have been sixths on Vima (2015) and Tidy Prophet (2016), believes Exalted Lightning will have no problem with the 3200 metres of the cup. 
The win of Exalted Lightning gave owners Ken and Helen Smith their third Birthday Cup as they won with Scrupulous in 1997 and Exalted Time in 2006. 
Jordan turns it on
After riding a winner on his Adelaide debut a fortnight ago, apprentice Jordan Turner further endeared himself to SA racing fans when he landed a double at Morphettville last Saturday.
Teaming with his master, Darren Weir, Turner landed the first of his winners when $2.80 favourite Stellar Collision came from midfield position to win the 1200-metre open handicap.
Riding for Dennis O’Leary, Turner completed his double when he had Daktari ($6) well placed throughout to take out the benchmark 70 Hughes Limousines Handicap (1600m).
Daktari’s win capped off a good 20 minutes for the O’Leary team, as another of his charges, the Jemma Frew mount Red Menace ($5.50), had just taken out the Dudley Wines Kangaroo Island Cup (1880m). 
The cup completed a Kingscote double for O’Leary, who earlier combined with Krystal Bishop to win the Elders/Thomas Foods Maiden Plate (1360m) with Nostrovia ($4.40).
Kah, Macca kick clear
Jamie Kah and Tony McEvoy extended their leads on the Adelaide jockeys’ and trainers’ tables respectively when they combined for a double at the Morphettville meeting.
Two-year-old Denman filly Double Denman ($1.55 favourite) got the ball rolling when he broke though at his second start in the Holdfast Insurance Plate (1000m). 
Double Denman had finished third on debut on the Parks circuit.
Another odds-on favourite, debutant Moon Spinner ($1.75), brought up a running double for Kah and McEvoy in the Quayclean Maiden Plate (1100m).
The $575,000 purchase has been something of a late bloomer, having taken until the second half of his four-year-old season to make it to the races. He led all the way.
Kah now has 35 Adelaide winners for the season, 10 clear of Todd Pannell. McEvoy has 26, six clear of Ryan Balfour.
Running hot
After a lean period Morphettville trainer Jon O’Connor has turned his fortunes around in the last few weeks.
The win of Mondo Magic ($3.60) in the benchmark 70 James Boag’s Premium Handicap (1200m) made it four winners, three of them in town, from his last eight runners. 
Joe blow softened
After receiving an eight-week suspension over his ride on Extreme Witness last December, jockey Joe Bowditch last Friday had the ban reduced by three weeks. Bowditch will start his suspension this Sunday, February 26. It will end on Easter Monday, April 2. 
Women on top
It was ladies’ day on the first day of the Kangaroo Island cup carnival last Thursday, women riding all six winners. Krystal Bishop and Anna Jordsjo scored doubles while Raquel Clark and Alice Lindsay rode a winner apiece. 
Locals rule
Local trainers Byron J. Cozamanis and Jackie Stoetzer shared the training honours at last Sunday’s Port Lincoln meeting with a double apiece. Jockey Justin Potter also notched a double.