Followers of Mark Zahra had a profitable day at Morphettville last Saturday when the classy Victorian hoop landed three winners including both Group 1s on the first day of the carnival.
Zahra got on the board early when Ole Kirk gelding Legacy Bound won the Group 3 Breeders’ Stakes for two-year-olds over 1400 metres.
The Robbie Griffiths-trained Legacy Bound was confidently backed ($1.95-$1.85 favourite) on the basis of an easy all-the-way debut win at Ballarat. He made the running again under Zahra last Saturday, scoring by 2¾ lengths.
The first of Zahra’s Group 1 winners was Manhattan Rain filly Benagil ($3.10 favourite) in the Australasian Oaks over 2000 metres. 
Giving trainer Glen Thompson a maiden Group 1 success in his own right, Benagil came from well back for a comprehensive 1¼-length win over the $201 pop Sweltering.
While Zahra’s first two winners started favourite, his supporters got a decent collect when he completed his treble on four-year-old mare Charm Stone ($11) in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m). 
Prepared at the Cranbourne stable of Mick Price and Michael Kent junior, Charm Stone came from second-last with a wide run from the home turn.  
She will return on Saturday week for the Group 1 Goodwood against the boys over the same course. Black Caviar (2012) and Platelet (2013) completed the double but no mare has managed it since.
Last Saturday’s double made it four Adelaide Group 1s in four years for Zahra, who won the 2022 SA Derby on Jungle Magnate and last year’s Australasian Oaks on Vibrant Sun.
Has Stokes got a stayer? 
Two-state trainer Phillip Stokes matched Zahra with a treble at the Morphettville meeting, albeit at a slightly less exalted level.
Stokes opened his account when seven-year-old gelding Regal Azmon ($2.20 favourite) won the opener, a 1600-metre handicap, gradually improving from near last for a narrow win under Lachlan Neindorf. 
Athanatos ($3.60 favourite) gave Stokes the second leg of his treble in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m), coming from midfield under Daniel Stackhouse to score by a half-length.
Athanatos will back up over 500 metres further in this Saturday’s Group 1 SA Derby. He will be a query on breeding given he’s by former two-year-old sprinter I Am Immortal, but the way he finished his race last Saturday it will take a brave punter to dismiss his chances of getting the trip.
Stokes completed his treble with Beauty Rising ($8.50) in 0-68 company over 1200 metres. Thomas Stockdale was the winning rider. 
Gluyas goes for Goodwood
Morphettville trainer Andrew Gluyas has some thinking to do with Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru, who faded to finish fifth in the Chairman’s Stakes, but the day wasn’t a complete wipeout for the stable as Watchme Win ($2.70 favourite) did just that under Jason Holder in the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m). 
Watchme Win is another Goodwood candidate. The last horse to complete that double was Savatoxl in 2021. 
A couple for Connor ...
Jockey Connor Murtagh was the star of last Friday’s Balaklava meeting with a popular double, on the Roslyn Day-trained Run On Air ($3.20 favourite) and the Stephen Theodore-trained Katim’s Club ($2.50 favourite). 
Congratulations to apprentice Felicity Atkinson on riding her 100th winner on the Dean Saxon-trained Cork Harbour ($7.50) at the Balaklava meeting.

... and Cal

Callan Murray finished Wednesday’s Murray Bridge meeting on a high note with a double for local stables in the last two races, both divisions of the 1400-metre benchmark 60. Murray scored on Headphones ($13) for Judy Streets and Top Of The Ridge ($6.50) for Sue and Jason Jaensch.