Sunlight out of Group 1 Sangster as William Pike booked for Dreamed Australasian Oaks ride

Tony McEvoy has decided to spell star filly Sunlight who was set to run favourite in the $600,000 Group 1 Sangster Stakes, with the leading SA trainer now pinning his hopes on Cool Passion in the 1200m race at Morphettville on Saturday.

• Freedman declares hand in SA Derby hunt
• No place like home as Kah lands treble
• Viddora off the pace at Sha Tin

Tony McEvoy has decided to spell star filly Sunlight who was set to run favourite in the $600,000 Group 1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

McEvoy has opted to focus on the spring and a tilt at the $13m Everest in Sydney in October with the star filly after she was beaten by stablemate Cool Passion in a Gawler trial last Friday.

“She trialled pretty much as I expected,’’ McEvoy said.

“I said to the owners after the trial I just wanted to see how she pulled up.

Sunlight (middle, white) defeats In Her Time (right) and Osborne Bulls (blue) in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

“She was a little bit flat compared with her usual self, so we opted to send her to the paddock and we can now focus on getting her ready for The Everest,’’ he said.

McEvoy said Cool Passion was in a good place as she chases her maiden Group 1 win with Barend Vorster booked to tide.

“She’s trialled nicely and has bounced back well from the foot abscess that saw her scratched last time,’’ McEvoy added.

“I’m really happy with her,’’ he said.

Troy and Leon Corstens have booked Jason Maskiell to ride Mamzelle Tess in the Sangster while Thrilster will have Stephen Baster in the saddle.

Craig Williams will ride Jamaican Rain while Ben Thompson has been booked for last year’s Euclase winner and Goodwood placegetter I’ll Have A Bit.

I’ll Have A Bit’s trainer John McArdle is toying with the idea of also running three-year-old filly Humma Humma, a last-start Adelaide winner, in the Sangster opposed to the Euclase.

Sunlight defeats Zousain in the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Meanwhile William Pike will partner South Australian filly Dreamed in Saturday’s $500,000 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville.

Pike, who is riding at this week’s three-day Warrnambool Carnival, has secured a busy book of rides at Morphettville including Dreamed’s stablemate Kenyan Wonder in the Group 2 Euclase Stakes while he’ll be back aboard Balf’s Choice for the first time since winning the 2017 Balaklava Cup.

The Ryan Balfour-trained Dreamed produced an eye-catching effort when narrowly beaten behind Mirette in the Auraria Stakes last time out.

Damien Oliver will stick with pre-race favourite Princess Jenni in the Oaks while he has picked up the ride on Spright in the Sangster Stakes.

Michael Walker will ride the John Sargent-trained House Of Cartier in the Oaks while Will Clarken has booked him to ride Everyday Lady in the Sangster.

House Of Cartier was a Hawkesbury winner two starts back before running fifth behind The Chosen One in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plates at Randwick last month.