The list of SA Cup winners is a who’s who of famous Australasian pacers who have come to Globe Derby at the peak of their form.
The 2018 Ubet SA Cup (2645m) went to Shadow Sax, a lightly-raced five-year-old which has yet to make its mark at Grand Circuit level, but few would argue he won’t.
Shadow Sax gave trainer Emma Stewart and reinsman Gavin Lang their second victory in South Australia’s premier race having scored in 2015 with Guaranteed.
Sent out the red-hot $1.50 favourite, the gelding was superbly driven by Lang, before proving too strong scoring by three metres from Messini ($7) with Bettor Party ($101 into $38.10), 16-1/2 metres away third.
Coming from gate four, Shadow Sax was outpaced early by Sams The Master ($10.40) which flew out from gate three.
Driver Matthew Craven kept the leader bowling along early and Lang found himself parked on the favourite. Rather than sit alongside the leader or try for the front, Lang kept a good hold on Shadow Sax and sat back which enabled him to basically half-cart with the field spread out.
“I saw no point getting close to the leader,” Lang said. “There was no chance of getting the lead, so I was happy to have my horse settle.
“I always felt the leader would come back to us over the final stages and I had to be aware that I didn’t want to be left as a sitting shot for horses such as Messini or Major Crocker.”
Lang allowed Shadow Sax to move closer with just over a lap to go and went alongside Sams The Master down the back straight before putting him away off the back.
It was left to Messini to emerge from the chasing pack with a great drive by Ryan Hryhorec but the favourite had too much in reserve to win comfortably.
Lang believes Shadow Sax can take the step up.
“He led to win at Stawell and Geelong, then tonight he was able to sit off as good tempo and still win.
“I’m sure with a good trail he can peel off a smart quarter against the best.”
Trainer Emma Stewart said she had been confident watching the race.
“I thought the leader had to stop and I knew my horse would be hard to hold out,” Stewart said.
“I’ll see how he comes through the race and travel but there is a chance he could line up this week in the Ballarat Cup.
“There is no doubt he is a horse improving each time he goes to the races.”
That is also the view of owners Russell and Pam Hockham.
“We are looking forward to taking on the best, even the likes of Lazarus,” Pam said.
“We had had two horses runs in Adelaide previously with a place the best, so it was good to break our duck tonight.”
The Hockhams have had a few nice horses over the years but believe Shadow Sax will give them their best journey.
The five-year-old has now won 17 races with six placings from just 25 starts sand already has amassed more than $372,000 in stakes.
Runner-up Messini was driven beautifully by Ryan Hryhorec but found the winner too good.
South Australian trainer Les Harding was delighted with the third and fourth of his two runners Bettor Party and Our Jericho.
“They both ran really well,” Harding said.
