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Trekking’s exclamation mark on outstanding carnival

The 2020 Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival concluded in spectacular style at Morphettville on Saturday, when an outstanding program of black-type racing was highlighted by Trekking wearing down gallant home-town hope Gytrash to win the Group 1 Furphy Goodwood (1200m).

The victory, in the shadows of the post, gave the James Cummings/Godolphin outfit its first win of the carnival – and it was the big one.

The quinella were both perfectly ridden, with Jason Holder looking poised to break his Group 1 drought aboard Gordon Richards’ Gytrash, only to be denied in the final stride by John Allen on Trekking.

The victory completed a highly successful fortnight for Allen, who collected the Group 1 SA Derby seven days earlier, along with the other two black-type races on the Derby day program.

Holder started Goodwood day in fine style, guiding Extra Time to victory in the Group 3 National Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds. It was the fourth National Stakes for trainer Leon Macdonald, who teamed up with Andrew Gluyas to prepare this year’s winner.

Trainer Anthony Freedman’s promising stayer Realm of Flowers claimed the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) in convincing style for jockey Damien Thornton, who also enjoyed a successful Adelaide sojourn. In Adelaide trainer Paula Trenwith’s care for the previous five weeks, Realm of Flowers missed a start in the Australasian Oaks, and instead went into the Fillies Classic via a mid-week win at Murray Bridge.

Interestingly, the horse Realm of Flowers nosed out over 2000m at Murray Bridge, Busker’s Ballad, won Saturday’s opening race at juicy odds – also for Thornton.

Oasis Girl proved her commanding last-start win in Melbourne was no fluke by taking out the Listed Centaurea Stakes (2000m), before Georgina Cartwright landed herself a race-to-race black-type double by capturing the RA Lee Stakes (1600m) on rank outsider Chapel City, for Gordon Richards.

The excitement of the Goodwood was followed-up by Victorian visitor Humma Humma winning the Proud Miss Stakes (1200) for Zac Spain.

Spain’s win meant eight of Saturday’s nine races went to Victorian-based riders who entered isolation prior to the Adelaide carnival.

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