Monday, 28 April 2025: We look at the key ratings from Morphettville on Sangster and Oaks day.
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Breeders' Stakes – Legacy Bound 
Worthy of a segment Legacy Bound because he's put up a very strong rating here off the back of a fast maiden win at Ballarat.
He'd run to 94 there in a strong overall and strong late time but has clearly improved here, running to 110 on the RAS scale.
The obvious and quickly made comparison was with Growing Empire who won the race last year. We made Growing Empire's win 111, so one pound higher, although the time figure of Growing Empire was huge. Legacy Bound has still run a solid time and there's plenty to like.
Outside of Growing Empire, this is clearly the best rating in this race, and Legacy Bound looks like he'd easily get over further in time. Given the thin two-year-old crop this year, I think he could end up the best of them and be a big player in a race like the Caulfield Guineas.
Goodwood Contenders – Watchme Win & Reserve Bank A pair of Goodwood lead ups were run and won, with Watchme Win taking the John Hawkes Stakes and Reserve Bank the Tobin Bronze.
Watchme Win has run to a RAS rating of 112 which is a clear new peak. That's good going for this race- only bettered in recent years by Savatoxl at 113 who did win the Goodwood (at 116) two weeks' later as a 20-1 shot.
I'm a little bit softer given he carried 54kg and the time isn't flash, but he's progressive and deserves his shot.
Reserve Bank has found some good form, winning two in a row. He's run to 113 on the RAS scale here, up from 108 last start.
That's the best Tobin Bronze rating we've seen in some time, beating the likes of Beau Rossa, Miracles Of Life and Skybird.
A typical Goodwood is won with a RAS rating of 116 so these pair aren't too far off. A horse like Giga Kick resuming makes things very interesting.
Oaks – Benagil Strong win off a fast pace by Benagil, running inside standard time which is good going for three-year-old fillies, even if they are in a Group One.
Benagil has run to 105 on the RAS scale here which is a regression on last start behind Treasurethe Moment, where she ran to 111.
I touched on this in year's past but I believe the Australasian Oaks is the lowest rating Group One race in Australia in recent years and I doubt that will have changed here.
105 is one pound below Vibrant Sun at 106 last year, but ahead of Affaire A Suivre (103) the year before that.
The big anchor on Benagil is 200-1 shot Sweltering (who had run to 79 when beaten in a Terang maiden the start prior), running second here. It makes it tough to rate the race too much higher, even though the time figure is strong which gives it some hope.
She's a nice filly Benagil and can run that 110+ number we've seen, but I'd be very wary of her making the grade as a four-year-old mare.
Sangster – Charm Stone Good training effort by Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr to win the Sangster with Charm Stone, who has run to a slight new peak with RAS at 113.
A rating of 113 is low down on the historical standard for Sangster winners. Clearly that list is topped by Black Caviar who went 126 in her 2012 victory, but only three horses have run lower than 113 to win the race since 2010, all going 112.
Charm Stone sits alongside Bella Vella at 113 and a couple of pounds behind recent winners Climbing Star and Ruthless Dame (115).
There's not much between all three Goodwood lead ups on the card, but being a Group One, it's likely Charm Stone will end up starting much shorter than the others.
I'd be trying to look for something left of field (outside of Giga Kick) if possible. If he doesn't turn up, it's an absolute raffle.
