Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr’s Group 2 winning mare Oceanex may have had the big weight in the Port Adelaide Cup 2020 at Morphettville on Saturday but she proved too good for her rivals with an easy win over race favourite Sopressa in the Robert Sangster Stakes Day event.
Oceanex (pictured at Flemington) could be 2020 Melbourne Cup bound after winning the Port Adelaide Cup. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Fourth-up after a trio of solid Sydney runs this prep, the four-year-old Kiwi-bred daughter of Ocean Park was unwanted in betting for the Listed $100,000 Port Adelaide Cup (2500m) going around at an easing price of $5 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Winner of the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington during the Cup Carnival last spring, Oceanex stepped out over further than 2000m for the first time in the Port Adelaide Cup.
She may have been untested over the distance, but she quickly proved her staying ability being eased down on the line with plenty still left in the tank at the finish.
Improving on a lead-up fifth in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick on All Aged Stakes Day, Oceanex was only fair out of barrier three carrying the 58.5kg topweight in the Port Adelaide Cup.
Jockey Zac Spain was quick to pick up the speed on the mare off the tardy start, caught wide but travelling fourth early behind the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained favourite Sopressa.
Five-year-old So You Think mare Sopressa cut over from her wide alley, pushing forward to take up an uncontested lead along the rails.
The top elect was left alone unpressured in the lead as Spain took his time working Oceanex up into third and then second parked on the outside of the front runner by the 800m.
The field picked up the tempo approaching the turn for home, Oceanex putting the pressure on the outside of Sopressa at the 400m.
The two quality mares went stride for stride for a moment before Oceanex moved up to take the lead at the 250m and ran away with a dominant win.
In third rounding out the Port Adelaide Cup trifecta at a big price was on-pace roughie Disco Rebel ($26) for Oakbank-based trainer John Dunn.
Oceanex is now set to return to Flemington on May 16 for a shot at the Listed $320,000 The Andrew Ramsden (2800m) chasing a ticket into the 2020 Melbourne Cup this November.
Click here for the latest all-in Melbourne Cup 2020 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Port Adelaide Cup Results
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | OCEANEX (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Zac Spain | – | 3 | 58.5kg | $4.80 |
| 2 | 4 | SOPRESSA | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damien Thornton | 1.7L | 10 | 56.5kg | $3.30F |
| 3 | 13 | DISCO REBEL | John Dunn | Krystal Bishop | 2.4L | 1 | 55kg | $151 |
| 4 | 9 | TURF MAN | John Hickmott | Jason Holder | 2.5L | 8 | 55kg | $31 |
| 5 | 7 | BERTWHISTLE | Darryl Dodson | Dom Tourneur | 4.4L | 5 | 55kg | $41 |
| 6 | 11 | LOOKING AROUND (NZ) | Sue Jaensch | Paul Gatt | 4.9L | 7 | 55kg | $31 |
| 7 | 6 | BRAMFIELD | Darryl Carrison | Jake Toeroek | 6.1L | 6 | 55kg | $31 |
| 8 | 10 | TIGRE ROYALE (NZ) | Archie Alexander | Ethan Brown | 7.9L | 11 | 55kg | $4.60 |
| 9 | 5 | EPERDUMENT | Shane Oxlade | Ms Georgina Cartwright (a) | 10.1L | 2 | 55kg | $6.50 |
| 10 | 8 | FRANKED (GB) | Michael Hickmott | Todd Pannell | 15.1L | 4 | 55kg | $14 |
| 11 | 12 | HASTA LA BULLET | Sue Murphy | Ms Emily Finnegan | 18.7L | 9 | 55kg | $17 |
| – | 1 | VENTURA STORM (IRE) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | John Allen | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 2 | NEUFBOSC (FR) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Barend Vorster | – | 0 | – | – |
