The premiership might be out of reach but Jacob Opperman is finishing his 2024/25 season with a flourish, a double at Gawler last Saturday making it six wins from his past 18 SA metro rides.
Opperman’s hot run started on Matahga in the Magic Millions Racing Rewards SA Two-Year-Old Plate on June 14, and he won the listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate on the same horse a fortnight later.
He was on the board early at Gawler, leading all the way on the rising four-year-old Koratora ($4.20) in the Racing Cash Out Maiden Plate (1200m) for Travis Doudle — the trainer’s eighth winner from 38 starters since June 4. 
 Opperman completed his double on Bancoora ($15) in a 1200-metre benchmark 64 for Horsham trainer Paul Preusker.
Todd Pannell shared the honours at Gawler with Opperman, kicking off with Wine Barron ($4.20) in a benchmark 62 over 1700 metres.
Wine Barron led all the way to complete a double for Wellington trainer Michael Hickmott.  
Pannell finished his day on a high when last-start winner Nurys ($3.70 favourite) ran on from midfield to take the fillies-and-mares benchmark 64 over 1200 metres for Murray Bridge trainer David Huxtable. 
Earlier, Hickmott landed the first leg of his double when Motorace ($5.50) won a benchmark 66 over 1500 metres. 
Motorace was ridden by Victorian three-kilo claiming apprentice Emily Pozman, who may soon be on a three-month loan to Hickmott.
Motorace, who carried 61kg to victory at Gawler even after Pozman’s claim, could be heading north to contest the Dawin Cup on the first Monday of next month.  
Too darn good
Murray Bridge training partners Daniel Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray are eyeing black type for Bootlegger after the $2.30 favourite won the Kingsford Hotel Handicap (1200m) for two-year-olds at his second start.
Bootlegger, a son of Too Darn Hot, had run on for second on debut at a recent Gawler midweeker and impressed at the same track last Saturday winning by a length.
Clarken and MacGillivray are likely to test him on Saturday week in the Group 3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville.
So you’re saying there’s a chance
Lachlan Neindorf kept himself in with an outside hope of winning the Adelaide jockeys’ title with his last-to-first win on The Western Front ($5.50) in 0-54 grade over 1700 metres at Gawler for the Hayes brothers. 
Apprentice Rochelle Milnes leads the premiership race on 43 wins after taking the Magain Fielke Real Estate Gawler Handicap (1100m), a benchmark 74, for Jon O’Connor on Winning Revolution ($10).
Taylor Johnstone, who was winless at Gawler, is second on 39, with Neindorf third on 37.
Ichi’s cup
Local chestnut Ichibansan ($5) was the toast of Port Augusta last Sunday after leading all the way under Dylan Caboche to take out the City of Port Augusta Cup (2300m) for Kylie McKerlie.  
Co-trainers Ron Daniels and Trish Stansbury and apprentice Stephanie Stacy combined for a running double at the Port meeting, winning with Tanna ($9) in an 1100-metre maiden and Les Vosges ($14) in a 1600-metre maiden. 

Old firm double
Richard and Chantelle Jolly combined with stable jockey Jake Toeroek for a double at Balaklava on Wednesday.
They won with first-starter Mighty Aphrodite ($3.80 favourite) in a 1050-metre maiden and From The Block ($2.40 favourite) in a 1200-metre Class 1..
Congratulations to Murray Bridge trainer Stephanie Lacy on preparing her first winner, Miss Gabbiano ($61) in a benchmark 56 handicap over 1050 metres.
Sad news
I was sorry to hear of the death of former Sandown racecourse manager Brian Green, who started his career with the Port Lincoln Racing Club before joining the staff of the former Port Adelaide Racing Club before moving interstate.