Murray Bridge trainer Matthew Seyers’s plan to run Test The Law in a benchmark 78 on his hometown cup day might have been scuttled, but Seyers isn’t worried.
Test The Law ($17) powered to the line from last under regular rider Jacob Opperman to win the Hahn Handicap (1550m) in open company on the Parks track at Morphettville last Saturday.
He thus effectively weighted himself out of the benchmark 78 on Murray Bridge Gold Cup day, which this year has a standalone slot on Saturday week, Caulfield Guineas day.
Test The Law’s rating jumped from 78 to 86 with the win, meaning he could expect a hefty 64kg in Saturday week’s benchmark 78 heat of the Sportsbet Skybeau Series.
But Seyers may look to make lemonade out of those lemons, considering a run for Test The Law in the Murray Bridge Gold Cup itself, a listed race over 1600 metres worth $120,000.
Either way, the All Too Hard gelding has proved a bargain buy since Seyers bought him for $45,000 at the Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale of 2021.
He’s had 32 starts for eight wins, 12 minor placings and $424,650.
Saturday’s meeting was a solid one overall for Murray Bridge stables, kicking off with the Nicole Irwin-trained Call Me Vexatious ($1.65 favourite) in the benchmark 80 over 2400 metres.
On pace throughout under Dominic Tourneur, Call Me Vexatious strode clear for a comfortable 1¾-length win over Dixie Whistler.  
The Stephen Thedore-trained Sacred Kenshi ($26) gave the Gifford Hill track at Murray Bridge its third winner for the day, scoring in 0-64 company over 1950 metres.
It was Sacred Kenshi’s first run for Theodore since the trainer had picked him up online for $16,000 — a sum handily covered by the $27,300 he earned on Saturday.
Previously trained at Flemington by Steve Richards, Sacred Kenshi was coming off a benchmark 58 at Mornington 22 days earlier, but eased from $21 to start the equal outsider in the 10-horse field.
Theodore went on to notch a bookend double at Balaklava on Wednesday, winning the 1200-metre maiden with Royal Trapeze ($6.50) and the 1600-metre benchmark 56 with Divine Fire ($6.50). Sairyn Fawke and Opperman were the winning riders.
That made it six winners from 12 runners for Theodore since September 15.
Nexto nice
Goolwa trainer David Jolly appears to have a good type on his hands following the win of $2.70 favourite Nextonixs in last Saturday’s three-year-old maiden over 1000 metres.
The Tassort filly, coming off a debut second at Halidon, led most of the way under in-form apprentice Rochelle Milnes.
Jolly paid just $6000 for the Tassort filly at the William Inglis autumn yearling sale in Melbourne last year — hence her name, we assume. She has already earned $54,580 including bonuses.
Jolly said Nextonixs would now be spelled ahead of being prepared for some of the rich fillies’ races on offer next autumn.
First blood
Apprentice Matthew Chadwick, who is on a three-month loan to Morphettville trainer Chris Bieg from the Mick Price and Michael Kent junior stable, landed his first SA winner when the Bieg charge Voltage Point ($5.50) came from midfield to take out the 0-64 Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (1250m) at the Parks meeting.
King reigns
Oakbank co-trainers John Dunn and Krystal Bishop teamed up with apprentice Brooke King to take the honours at the opening meeting for the season at Port Lincoln last Sunday with back-to-back winners.
Their winners were Chilko Lake ($7) in 0-54 company over 1210 metres and Utilitarian ($8) in 0-58 grade over 1000 metres.