Lachlan Neindorf gave himself a real chance of taking out his first Adelaide jockeys’ premiership when he rode a double at Murray Bridge last Saturday.
Neindorf is in third place on 35 wins, six behind leader Rochelle Milnes, who went winless at the Bridge, and four behind Taylor Johnstone, who had one winner. There are six SA metro meetings remaining in the season.
Neindorf’s previous best finish is second in 2022/23 with 35 wins.
He brought up his first win last Saturday when The Sprinkler ($5) won the Thomas Farms Racing Rewards SA Three-Year-Old Plate (1200m), completing a double for co-trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly.
Neindorf scored again in the last, the Fred Vella Tyre & Crash Repair Handicap (1200m) in 0-64 grade for fillies and mares on last-start winner Extra Hot ($8) for Peter and Belinda Blanch.
Earlier the Jollys scored with three-year-old gelding Caladan ($1.75 favourite) in the Adelaide Galvanising Industries (Class 1) Handicap (1100m). Caladan, a last-start Balaklava winner, led all the way under Jake Toeroek.
Black type next for Matahga
Phillip Stokes looks to have a smart juvenile in his care following the win of Matahga ($4.20) in the Magic Millions Racing Rewards SA 2YO Plate (1200m) at the Bridge
An $NZ80,000 buy at last year’s Karaka yearling sale and coming off a debut second at Morphettville, Matahga finished strongly from midfield under Jacob Opperman.  
A son of Tivaci from a half-sister to Blue Diamond winner Little Brose, Matahga is likely to have his next start in the listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate for two-year-olds over 1400 metres at Morphettville on July 19.
Now we’re talking
Three-year-old Sir Prancealot gelding Sir Now is proving a crowd favourite after completing a hat-trick of wins in last Saturday’s Duttons — Easy To Do Business With Handicap, a benchmark 78 over 1000 metres.
Prepared locally by Darryl Hewitt and ridden to all three wins this prep by apprentice Margaret Collett, Sir Now ($4.60) settled second before proving slightly too good for $4.40 favourite The Great Baby.
Sir Now has two wins from three starts at his home track and six from 12 overall. Collett has five wins and a second from seven rides on him.
’Court on cup trail again
Wellington trainer Michael Hickmott has his sights on a second successive Murray Bridge Cup for Maracourt after the rising seven-year-old’s win in last Saturday’s Thomas Farms (benchmark 76) Handicap (1400m).
Maracourt ($7) came from midfield with a strong run over the concluding stages under apprentice Caitlin Tootell.
Maracourt won last October’s cup under Manoel Nunes.  

Early double for Doudle
Travis Doudle got off a flying start at Balaklava on Wednesday, training the first two winners.
He kicked off with debutante Violet Lovebug  ($3.20) in the Class 1 for two-year-olds (1050m). The chestnut Written By filly came from behind the pace to win by two lengths under Ben Price and looks to be worth every cent of the $80,000 Doudle paid for her at last year’s Adelaide sales. Doudle’s second winner was Stomp’Em ($8.50), who came from midfield under Caitlin Tootell for a narrow win in the 1200-metre maiden.
Stephen Theodore later trained a running double of his own with Italian Informant ($6.50) in 0-56 grade over 1050 metres and Spirit Of Flight ($3.60 favourite) in the same class over 1600 metres. Todd Pannell and Stacey Metcalfe were the winning riders.