Morphettville-based training partners Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle got their spring off to a flying start last Saturday with a double on the Parks track at home and a stakes winner at Sandown.
The Parks double saw Richards and Moyle remain level with Phillip and Tommy Stokes — who also trained a double — at the top of the Adelaide premiership. Both stables have six winners from 33 runners at a strike rate of 18.2 per cent.
Richards and Moyle kicked off at the Parks meeting with Bristler ($8), who led all the way under stable apprentice Isaac Sit in the benchmark 74 Thomas Farms Handicap (1000m). 
The focus then turned east, with Moyle on hand at Sandown as Pretty Baby ($5.50) took the listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1300m) under Jamie Melham. 
The win was Pretty Baby’s fourth in succession and has the Barbados filly a $4 favourite in all-in markets for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 17 — despite the fact that she has already had six runs in her current campaign, which began on May 30.
“She had three weeks off,” Moyle pointed out. “Her first run was (1100 metres) and it was really a trial for her as with the weather we couldn’t get a trial into her. 
“We’re pretty happy with how things are going and let’s hope they keep going that way.”
Pretty Baby will likely have her next run at Caulfield — either in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude on Saturday week or in the listed Jim Moloney Stakes on Sunday September 27. Both races are over 1400 metres for three-year-old fillies.
Richards and Moyle completed their two-state treble when Fast Tempo ($3.60 favourite) came from worse than midfield under Jason Holder to win the benchmark 74 Sportsbet Blackbook Handicap (1550m). 
The Stokeses’ Parks double kicked off with Princess Painton ($4.80), who raced better than midfield under Noel Callow and valiantly held off the latecomers to win in a tight three-way finish to the 0-64 Fotobase Group Handicap (2250m).
The father-son combination won again with Chakado ($3 favourite), who was first up in the benchmark 70 Sportsbet Get On Extra Handicap (1300m). 
The seven-year-old grey gave apprentice Jordyn Weatherley her first winner since a five-month layoff with an arm injury sustained in the barriers at Oakbank in April.
Shayleigh shines
Apprentice Shayleigh Ingelse made it five wins in four days when she led all the way on Like A Tiger ($2.70 favourite) for Ballarat trainer Matthew Smerdon in the benchmark 74 Sportsbet Race Previews Handicap (1950m) at the Parks meeting.
Ingelse had ridden a treble for Horsham trainer Paul Preusker at Murray Bridge the previous Wednesday, and won on Budjik Boy for Preusker at Warrnambool on the Thursday.
She capped her hot streak with a $31 winner for Holly McKechnie at Bendigo on Sunday.
A special night for Bruce
Congratulations to Bruce McAvaney on being inducted into the SA Racing Hall of Fame at the SA Racing Awards celebration last Saturday night. The SAJC has further honoured the iconic commentator and SA racing stalwart by renaming its premier sprint race The McAvaney Goodwood.
In the night’s main award, Jason Holder won his fourth John Letts Medal for outstanding jockey on Adelaide tracks in 2025/26, a month after winning his fourth Adelaide jockeys’ premiership as well as the statewide premiership. He joins only Jamie Melham with four John Letts Medals.
Comeback jockey Lauren Stojakovic won the inaugural Most Memorable Moment award, while Garret Lynch and Phillip Stokes were honoured for their respective wins in the SA and Adelaide training premierships.
Mindarie-Halidon Racing Club volunteer Geoff Redden won the award for most outstanding achievement by an individual while the Jamestown Racing Club took the equivalent club award.
Josh Grantham-Lines was named SA trackwork rider of the year.
Auraria Stakes winner Mating Call was named SA’s horse of the year while the now retired Thunder Shoc was best performed racehorse after winning five Adelaide races in 2025/26.