Merlin opens favourite for Friday's Spring Cup
Michael Guerin • September 16th, 2025 10:41 AM • 4 min read
The “frenemies” will be at it again in the IRT Spring Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night but this time they will have a lot of stablemates for company.
Defending champion Sooner The Bettor will have found memories of last season’s Spring Cup as he beat stablemate and constant travelling companion Merlin.
This does not happen often.
Usually Merlin is too fast for his perfectly-mannered mate, although Menangle is the one place Sooner The Bettor also seems to close the gap.
They are back at it again when Merlin resumes off 20m in the 2200m step and scamper this Friday and there is no reason Sooner The Bettor can’t beat him again, especially with a big field so there should be plenty of horses between the pair.
Many of them in the same colours. Trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan have six in the race, the others being Cold Chisel back from injury, the race fit pair of Better Knuckle Up and Jeremiah and the mare Duchess Megxit.
That makes for one hell of a representation but Arna Donnelly isn’t doing bad either as she has half as many with Little Spike, The Surfer and Jolimont.
While there are only three stables represented it is still heartening to see a biggish field for the race and how punters react to Merlin’s opening quote ($2.35) will be interesting considering the poor record of back markers in major pacing races in the last couple of years.
The night’s other highlight is the $110,000 Caduceus Club Fillies Classic (Race 8) in which southern filly Lizzie Borden comes north and gets barrier 7 against those who have been racing at The Park headed by Shezsofast, Alecto, Queen Lizzy and the impressive maiden War Cry.
Add in a big and deep Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes heat for the boys (Race 7) and the meeting is going to answer a lot of questions, with the TAB bookies going up nice and early on the features on Monday night.
