This month our committee reviewed several top quality performances by horses owned by SAROA members – we eventually decided that the award for March should go to Sam Scaffidi-Muta for Gamblin Guru.

Gamblin Guru was bred by Harry Perks and is by glamour one time shuttle stallion New Approach from a Fusaichi Pegasus mare Glory Guru who was unraced. Gamblin Guru’s grand dam Proud Halo had left 2 stakes winners Gallant Guru and Gold Guru who together won 10 black type races. Gold Guru needs little introduction having won an Australian Derby and an Australian Guineas and the Ranvet stakes (all Group 1s) and stakes of more than $2.4 million. Gallant Guru’s best win was the Sandown Classic (Group2) in addition he has sired two stakes winners in New Zealand. Proud Halo also left Gazza Guru a multiple country cups winner.

Gamblin Guru started his career with a 2 year old win at Morphettville over 1100 m but as an early three year old he failed to show the same turn of foot however he  started to show promise over longer distances with a placing in the listed Hill Smith stakes over 1800 m before winning the traditional Victoria Derby lead up race, the listed Geelong Classic. After the Classic win, he had a short spell before returning for a promising second over 1200 m at Morphettville.

Gamblin Guru had previously demonstrated some unruly habits and these came to the fore at his next start when he jumped awkwardly and then pulled very hard giving Clare Lindop a really difficult ride before clipping heels and falling. He seemed to overcome this unruliness at his next start running a close running second over 1600 metres and then winning the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas over 1800 m and then the Group 3 Chairman’s handicap over 2000 metres.

Gamblin Guru finished his Adelaide carnival campaign with a close fourth in the SA Derby. With stakes winnings of over $300,000, it would seem that Gamblin Guru should deliver more results for his owners in the future.