Single Choice books South Australian Derby ticket

NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate Single Choice (Anders) secured himself a shot at next month’s Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) with an impressive win in the A$200,000 Listed Manhari Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Single Choice was offered by Riversley Park at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, where Cumani Racing bought him for $80,000. He has now had 10 starts for four wins, three placings and A$427,400 in stakes.

Single Choice went into Saturday’s race with some of the strongest credentials in the field, including a victory in the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at the same venue two starts back. But after opening as a clear favourite, he drifted notably in the betting market and jumped as a $5 third choice behind Amazake (Maurice) ($2.90) and Arabian Prince (Ghaiyyath) ($3.70). But that meant nothing once the gates opened, with Single Choice defying that drift to score an emphatic win.

Ridden by Jamie Mott and took up a position in second, trailing the early leader Awesome Artist.

The field bunched up before the home turn and Single Choice briefly looked like he might be swallowed up into the pack, but Mott got him to kick back up and thrust his head in front before the home turn.

Single Choice’s superior stamina shone through down the straight and he kicked away to score by a length and a quarter from Arabian Prince and Amazake.

Trainer Matt Cumani is now keen to give Single Choice a Group One opportunity in the A$1 million South Australian Derby at Morphettville on May 2.

“I think we've got to go to Adelaide off that,” he said. “This race was a bit of a test to see if he might get a Derby distance, and even though it might not have been a solidly run 2400m throughout, I think it's provided enough of a test to say that we can go there and give it a go.

“I was very nervous about whether he'd get the trip, but he got a beautiful ride by Motty. No speed early, but they went pretty solid from the 800m, even earlier than that, and he had to sustain a pretty hard run.

“He’s got that turn of foot, and that's really valuable for a horse that can get a bit of a trip.”

The Kingstar Farm-bred Single Choice is by Anders out of the Sebring mare Sebring Sally, who won two races including the Listed Strutt Stakes (2100m). She also ran second in the Gr.2 Doomben Roses (2000m) and fourth in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m).