The next was one of the features on the card the SA Grand National Hurdle and by now there was a good crowd up in the indoor areas of the stand who came out as the race started.  In the field of 6 (after two raceday scratchings) every runner had been paced first or second at their previous start.  Favourite and topweight Gotta Take Care had had 9 jumps starts for 4 wins and 4 placings and was sent out favourite after a close second on the flat at his previous start and a third in the Victorian Grand National Hurdle prior to that. Lord of the Song had won 3 of his past 4 hurdle starts all wins coming at Morphettville and was currently second on the SA Over the Rainbow Series points ladder and he had also had 9 starts for 4 wins and 4 placings over the jumps.  Dubhdara from New Zealand had a record of 5 starts for 3 wins and two placings and had been second in the JJ Houlahan Hurdle at his previous start. Honour the Force won a hurdle at Morphettville at his previous start taking his record to 2 wins and 3 placings from 12 jump starts while Champion Chestnut was the most experienced of the field having 22 jumps starts for 2 wins and 9 placings including a second at his previous run.  Jockey Jack was the least experienced horse in the field with 7 jumps starts for three placings and a win at his previous start.  Lord of the Song went to the lead from Dubhdara with Honour the Force and Jockey Jack next with Gotta Take Care and Champion Chestnut at the back of the pack.  Around the turn Lord of the Song drew well ahead from Dubhdara followed by Honour the Force and Gotta Take Care then Jockey Jack and Champion Chestnut.  Over the jump out of the straight Lord of the Song led from Dubhdara and Gotta Take Care from Honour the Force with Champion Chestnut moving up and putting Jockey Jack in a pocket at the rear. Over the fourth last Lord of the Song led from Dubhdara as Gotta Take Care made a mistake and fell (horse and rider were quickly up and both were ok) as Honour the Force followed with Champion Chestnut appearing to be inconvenienced by the fallen horse outside Jockey Jack.  Coming to the second last Lord of the Song tried to make a dash for victory but starting to tire as Dubhdara started to run on from Honour the Force as Champion Chestnut held Jockey Jack in a pocket near the rails.  Over the last Dubhdara put in his challenge making a huge leap to take the lead from Lord of the Song as Champion Chestnut and Jockey Jack challenged Honour the Force for the third position.  In the run to the line Dubhdara came away to win from Lord of the Song with Honour the Force fighting hard to just stave off Jockey Jack for third. 

In the next race Our Sphinx brought up the second win of the afternoon for the Tony McEvoy/M Neilson combination in storming home in a carbon copy of his previous win to take control and win as he liked from Mahmentum with Conduction third.  In the 5th race Riceman was at least twice the age of every other runner and soon after the start was eased back to last (under a very tight hold).  As Mestari led to the turn the field started to pack with Riceman still a clear last but under a stranglehold by jockey J Frew.  Around the turn Mestani led with King Rodney making a run as Riceman strode around the field with Fosseding Barnes trying to go with him.  By the 200m Riceman had swept to the lead as Monte Bella tried to give chase with Gauss making a run between the others.  Inside the final 50m Gauss came through on the inside to challenge Riceman but the old horse lifted to hold the challenger at bay to win by 3/4 length from Gauss with Monte Bella third and Fosseding Barnes 4th.  Riceman was having his 83rd start taking his record to 16 wins 11 seconds and 6 third in a career which started with a win as 3yo in Launceston in November 2003.

Katunga jumped well from the outside barrier in the next but was still stuck 3 wide from the outset sitting up in third place with Meadows Jim following his every move.  In the straight Katunga took over the lead with Meadows Jim the only challenger who looked like the winner by the 200m.  Katunga wasn't done with though and fought back strongly on the inside and eventually clawed back the front right on the line to win narrowly with Natural Disaster running on for third.  It was then time for the Group 3 Spring Stakes which featured 6 of the 11 runners returning from a spell including Alcopop, Southern Speed and Happy Trails all looking towards the Melbourne Spring carnival as their goal.  Gossip Girl went to the lead early from Light Express and Justify That with Alcopop, Southern Speed and Happy Trails all in the second half of the field.  Around the turn the field went wide on the track with Gossip Girl in front from Light Express with The Eighth Maker, Happy Trails and Alcopop all going out wide to make their runs as Southern Speed tried to find gaps through the field.  By the 200m Gossip Girl fought off the challenges to hold on to the front but it was Happy Trails that was making the sustained run down the outside as others runners appeared to bump into each other with Southern Speed going for the gap between them. Inside the final 50m Happy Trails hit the lead as Gossip Girl tried to fight back to no avail with the South Australian gelding winning by a neck from Gossip Girl with Southern Speed a fast finishing third.  Happy Trails took his record to 24 starts for 3 wins and 10 placings and had been less than two lengths away from More Joyous in the Doncaster in Sydney at his previous start last April.  Happy Trails is a graduate of the Adelaide Magic Millions sale which also had the Listed winner in Perth in Cavallo Pazzo (and both horses were sold at the same sale in 2009).

             The last race went to Draw Forward as the Richard Jolly stable quinella it with Mr Good Cat second and another 12yo in Likable Will third.

Next week's feature race is the South Australian Grand National Steeplechase as the jumps season rapidly approaches the close for this season.