Money lands on The Map but Dan Clarken wary of Tralee Rose
The Map is favourite for the Listed Premier’s Plate at Morphettville. Picture: Atkins Photography
The money has come for Adelaide Cup aspirant The Map in Saturday's Listed Premier's Plate (2019m) at Morphettville, but trainer Dan Clarken remains wary of classy staying mare Tralee Rose.
After opening up with the TAB at $8, The Map now holds favouritism at $5.50 in what looks an open contest with seven of the 13 runners marked $10 or shorter.
The Symon Wilde-trained Tralee Rose is the standout runner at the ratings – which is why she's carrying 60kg and giving 6kg to all of her rivals – but she's having her first start since finishing down the track in last year's Melbourne Cup.
Tralee Rose has had success in South Australia before as well, a dominant winner of the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) in 2021 before running fourth as an odds-on favourite in the Adelaide Cup that same year.
Clarken is confident The Map will acquit herself well in the race formerly known as the Birthday Cup but he knows being one of 12 runners carrying 54kg and out of the handicap is not optimal.
"It's probably just the spread of weights that is the biggest concern," Clarken, who trains in partnership with Oopy MacGillivray, said.
Tralee Rose is the real deal! She takes out the Lord Reims Stakes ???? pic.twitter.com/5AucmghkpK
— Racing SA (@RacingSA) February 20, 2021
"If she was the Tralee Rose we all saw a couple of years ago, she probably should be giving them 10kg, but is she where she was? We'll have to wait and see.
"Peter Hardacre's horse (Sebonna) has been carrying big weights and comes back to the minimum, so it's a concern, and they've all had a lot more runs on the board than her, she's a young stayer and quite progressive."
The Map enjoyed a good spring, winning a couple of races and coming second in the Listed John Letts Cup, prompting Clarken to plan an Adelaide Cup campaign.
After a short let-up she finished off well over an unsuitable 1600m last month and has come on again.
"She was really good late, she ran through the line," the Murray Bridge trainer said.
Super impressive from The Map in the Skybeau Final ???? pic.twitter.com/kL5B3TEguv
— Racing SA (@RacingSA) November 16, 2022
"She's in good order. She really didn't have much time in the paddock, I had to back off at some stage and we've always had the Adelaide Cup in mind.
"We're happy with her, she's done everything right, she looks a picture. The Lord Reims is the one we really want to set us up (for the Adelaide Cup), but we're in good order.
"She's got great lung capacity, she's quite efficient across the ground. We'll just take it as it comes."
Clarken and MacGillivray are taking a two-pronged attack into the Premier's Plate, deciding to roll the dice with Malinong Club while she's in career-best form.
She's won her past two starts, including when the stable opted to run at Morphettville rather than the Strathalbyn Cup, and is rated an $8 chance.
Malinong Club fends off Wheels at Morphettville ???? pic.twitter.com/iAt7yAl0xg
— Racing.com (@Racing) January 28, 2023
"Take out Tralee Rose and you've got the Strath Cup there basically," Clarken said.
"We reckon on her performance on the Saturday (at Morphettville), we probably would've been where (Strathalbyn Cup winner) Bundle Of Fun was in the run, that's where the map said we would've ended up, and we would've given it a hell of a shake.
"She's flying, she hasn't taken a backwards step at all. It's obviously a step up in class but she's going well."
