Boasting a lethal strike rate, Danny O’Brien is poised to strike in rare Adelaide raid on Saturday

Top Victorian trainer Danny O’Brien has an excellent strike rate when he makes the trip to South Australia.

Trainer Danny O'Brien is taking a big team to Adelaide. Picture: Reg Ryan-Racing Photos via Getty Images

Top trainer Danny O’Brien has enjoyed enormous success in South Australia over the journey – winning four Group 1s while boasting an overall strike rate of 18.4 per cent – so any time he sends horses across the border, punters have to pay attention.

Typically, he’s been selective about making the trip – O’Brien has averaged 11.1 starters in SA over each of the previous 10 seasons – but on Saturday he’ll saddle up one of his biggest teams ever in the state with five runners set to compete at Morphettville Parks.

While O’Brien said the recent prizemoney boost has “certainly” made SA more tempting, he simply thinks these are the right races for the right horses.

“It looked a suitable card for us and some of those horses are difficult for us to place in Melbourne right at the moment,” he said.

“We have quite a bit of synthetic racing and some of the tracks are a bit tired. The grade of horse that’s over there, they all look to be in suitable-style races for them.

“The prizemoney has really had a good little boost there the last couple of months so that makes it more attractive again. Those horses in Victoria are racing midweek for $37,500 or something and now they can race on Saturday (in SA) for $50,000-plus.”

The untapped Without Envy headlines the team, making her race day return after almost 12 months off the scene.

The four-year-old mare ran second to Thron Bone on debut at Flemington before some breathing issues were identified after running third as an odds-on favourite at Geelong.

Without Envy (purple and white silks) running second to Thron Bone on debut at Flemington. Picture: George Sal-Racing Photos via Getty Images

“She’s a filly that has plenty of talent but she’s had plenty of problems – she’s actually had three wind operations, which must be a world record,” O’Brien said.

“They were three different wind problems but she’s had a good break, she seems to have come up well and her trials have been good.

“It’s been a challenge (to get her back) – it’s just taken time – but her wind seems good now. Most of them don’t really work that well but where she is now, it looks like she’s in a good spot.

“She’s furnished into a lovely mare and she’s only been at the races twice so hopefully she’ll be competitive for us.”

There has been good money early for Without Envy, the TAB winding her into $2.70 from $3.50 for the second race.

It’s been the opposite story for Roman Law, who has drifted from $4.40 to $7 for the eighth event but shares a very similar tale to his stablemate.

The former Bob Peters-owned galloper, now a six-year-old gelding, showed plenty of promise as a youngster but has also been limited to two race starts, winning on debut at Werribee in June before running fourth at the same venue later that month.

Roman Law was first out & first home on debut ✅

A running double for @DOBrienRacing & @jamieleemott ✌️ pic.twitter.com/6Sjr0Rw2TD

— Racing.com (@Racing) June 8, 2023

“He’s another one, he’s had a tie-back. He’s got talent but the wind operation probably wasn’t as effective as (Without Envy’s). But he’s certainly quick and at 1000m you probably don’t need as much,” said O’Brien, who will also saddle up Lady Shalaa, King’s Chamber and El Cordobes.

“He’s just going to need a bit of luck from the wide draw, he naturally pulls himself to the front so hopefully he gets across and sits outside the leader.”

While O’Brien will be paying close attention to proceedings in Adelaide, his best chance of the day might come in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield where he’s got the $4 favourite It’sourtime.

“He’s in great form. Another race where he’s pretty well placed,” he said.

“He’s still well-handicapped in it and he should be very hard to beat.”

Originally published as Boasting a lethal strike rate, Danny O’Brien is poised to strike in rare Adelaide raid on Saturday