The Map starts Adelaide Cup tilt in Saturday’s Premier’s Plate at Morphettville

After being denied by the barest of margins last year, South Australian stayer The Map is aiming to go one better in this year’s Adelaide Cup.

The Map, ridden by Rachel King, on the way to the barriers for the 2024 Melbourne Cup. Picture: George Sal / Racing Photos

After being denied by the barest of margins last year, South Australian stayer The Map is aiming to go one better in this year’s Adelaide Cup.

Saturday’s Listed Premier’s Plate (2000m) will see the daughter of Alpine Eagle make her return to the races for the first time since November’s $8.5 million Melbourne Cup.

The Map finished 21st in the race that stops the nation, pulling off a hind shoe during the race, which eventually lead to her succumbing to a troublesome foot abscess.

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“She appeared to come through the Melbourne Cup really well, (but) she’d actually trodden on a shoe in the race and pulled it off,” trainer Oopy MacGillivray, who trains in partnership with Dan Clarken, said.

“About a week later she had a nasty foot abscess come out, she was in the paddock so it gave us a bit of time to get her right, but it took a little while to get through her system and for the hoof and sole to heal up properly.

“We’ve put that behind us, and since she’s been back in work she seems really, really strong and positive – I suppose we’re about to find out.”

"This is girl power."

The Map & @jamieleekah07 power away to win the Queen Elizabeth II Cup 💪 pic.twitter.com/PsweDcg7U4

— Racing.com (@Racing) May 4, 2024

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With the setback now behind them, Clarken and MacGillivray are out to win this year’s Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) on March 10 after a gut-wrenching defeat last year when beaten a nose by Excelleration.

With the Premier’s Plate a starting point this campaign, the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (February 22) is the ideal lead-up run to the Adelaide Cup two weeks later.

The Map ran second to Yellowbrick Road in last year’s Lord Reims. “All being well we’ll go Premier’s Plate, Lord Reims and then Adelaide Cup,” she said.

“That’s the logical plan I think. We’ll know more after this weekend.”

Yellowbrick Road defies them all in the G3 Lord Reims 🙌@[e-mail]/wZmoHX97C0

— Racing.com (@Racing) February 24, 2024

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The Map will be ridden by gun jockey Jake Toeroek on Saturday under the steadier of 60kg.

“She obviously has to carry a bit more weight than she did this time last year, her performances and her rating says that she deserves to – I think she’ll handle it okay,” MacGillivray said.

“Jake rode her previously, not since 2022, but he rode her very well, he’d been looking forward to an opportunity to get back on her.

“Being up the weights gave us the ability to put Jake on, I’m sure he’ll ride her really well again.”

The Map is a $5 chance with Sportsbet fixed odds for Saturday’s Premier’s Plate. Robert Hickmott-trained gelding Beltoro is currently race favourite ($3.60).

Originally published as The Map starts Adelaide Cup tilt in Saturday’s Premier’s Plate at Morphettville