Gala Queen reigns in Morphettville Guineas as hotpot Sabaj tastes defeat for the first time

Gun filly Gala Queen showed her class in the Morphettville Guineas when she handed unbeaten gelding Sabaj his first defeat.

Gala Queen hits the line to win the Morphettville Guineas on Monday. Picture: Makoto Kaneko

Unbeaten gelding Sabaj was all the rage, but gun filly Gala Queen spoiled the party in Monday’s Listed Morphettville Guineas.

The Deep Field filly showed her class over 1600m to hold off the heavily fancied Sabaj, who had been crunched into $1.75 with Sportsbet.

Guided to the line by gun hoop Joe Bowditch, Bowditch had little doubt Gala Queen could topple her fancied rival, and he’s now won three of his past four on the Phillip Stokes-trained filly.

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“I’ve had a good relationship with this filly this time in,” Bowditch said.

“She didn’t enjoy the best of runs from an awkward draw the other night, I thought her run was still terrific.

“When Phil offered me the ride, I would’ve been happy to push a peanut to Adelaide with my nose to ride her.

“Being able to work her through the week, she’s worked terrific, I thought she would do that today.”

Gala Queen shocks the unbeaten favourite to take out the Morphettville Guineas 🔥

It's the @pstokesracing 3YO filly's third win from her last four starts 💪 pic.twitter.com/cBKI35QdG7

— Racing.com (@Racing) March 10, 2025

It was another winner for Stokes, who claimed victory with Palm Of Jumeirah earlier on the card.

Stokes and Bowditch also combined to win the Listed Adelaide Guineas back in 2003 with Nancy Eleanor.

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“We’ve always had a high opinion of her, but she’s taken quite a bit of time, as you can see she’s lightly raced,” Stokes said.

“First run in a race, she went super, she should have won, next start she got beaten out of sight and jarred up badly so we just tipped her out.

“This time in, she’s been going super, she probably should have won last start, she was very unlucky.

“Do we push on for an Oaks? Not sure. We’ll see how she pulls up.”

Elphinstone was an impressive winner of Monday’s first feature, the Listed C S Hayes Memorial Cup (1600m).

SA expats Jamie Melham and Tony and Calvin McEvoy combined as the Victorian mare produced a commanding one and a half-length win.

Sir Sway made it back-to-back feature wins for Sue and Jason Jaensch, the gelding won the Gytrash Final in November and resumed first-up to win the Listed Manihi Classic (1100m).

The result offered consolation for jockey Taylor Johnstone, who had her mount Gotta Go Guru scratched for Monday’s Cup due to a foot abscess.

Airborne stable Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor continued their terrific form, notching a win with Dual Pressure on stable debut.

SIr Sway is enormous first-up to take out the listed Manihi Classic & make it an incredible three wins on the trot 🔥 pic.twitter.com/s2CJ0HAFv3

— Racing.com (@Racing) March 10, 2025

Previously trained by Mathew Ellerton, the gelding was a $220k purchase on an Inglis Online Sale in December.

Hateech produced Monday’s blowout result, the gelding jumped at $23 (Sportsbet) but hung on for an impressive win in a

0-64 Handicap (2000m).

Guided to the line by Rochelle Milnes, the win was a career highlight for Oakbank trainer Claudette Rose.

Milnes claimed riding honours on Cup Day with her win aboard Hateech and Cup victory on Silent Surrente.

A crowd of more than 7,000 people were trackside for Monday’s Adelaide Cup.

Originally published as Gala Queen reigns in Morphettville Guineas as hotpot Sabaj tastes defeat for the first time