RACE 1 – 12:15PM
MyPunter.com Plate (1400m)
Appears to be a 2 horse race in Skylight Glow and Sylpheed and the market suggests as much. Sylpheed showed an enormous turn of foot and was ultra impressive when she returned to the races with a dominant victory at Caulfield, if Oliver has any luck in transit from barrier 11 she’s the winner.
Skylight Glow was disappointing last start, if she can recover her form from 2 starts ago when finishing 2nd to foxplay right in this. The trip back to 1400 looks to suit.
Suggested Bet – Skylight Glow $4.20 EW
RACE 2 – 12:50PM
Listed Gothic Stakes (1400m)
Acatour was quickly backed when markets opened and he looks set to start this race as a dominant favourite. Opened at $3.20 into $2.60. He appeared to have needed the run first-up and he was still able to get the job done, then distanced his rivals when he stormed home for a dominant victory at Rosehill Gardens last start. Team Snowden have an excellent record when they send horses to Caulfield and he is clearly a horse with a great deal of upside.
Suggested Bet – Acatour WIN $2.80
RACE 3 – 1:25PM
Listed Alinghi Stakes (1100m)
Outstanding betting race. Super Cash was a strong winner first-up and she’ll only go forward from that run, with good speed on up front she’ll charge home. Vezelay has been set for a big fresh run, gets a great draw and she’ll take some catching. Almighty Girl looked very good in a recent jump out. She’s ready to explode first-up. Great betting race! Im with Flippant. She’s a mare that I have always had a very big opinion of and she absolutely flies fresh. She never came up last preparation and it has been a while between starts, but racing fresh has never really been much of a problem. The booking of Hugh Bowman is a positive lead and there is no doubt that her best form is more than good enough to win this race.
Suggested Bet – Flippant EW $6.50
RACE 4 – 2:00PM
Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m)
This is one of the most open betting races of the day and there are plenty of winning chances. You can make a case for a number of horses in this field and the likes of Sebring Dream and Eleonora look to have found their right price. Sebring Dream was the best of the closers in a bit of an on pace dominated Thousand Guineas last week. This is much easier so she gets her chance. Our blackbooker Eleonora was absolutely luckless last start, I expect from the good barrier and Oliver she’ll take a huge step here and finds her right price.
Suggested Bet – Eleonora EW $5
RACE 5 – 2:35PM
Group 3 Ladbrokes Classic (2000m)
Two horse encounter. Seaburge was arguably unlucky not to win the Caulfield Guineas and his closing sectionals were the best in the field. That was clearly a career best performance, but the way that he savaged the line indicates that he could have more improvement left in him when he makes his debut over 2000 metres. He will need some luck at the right time from the inside barrier draw, but he is still the horse to beat. Good Standing is the obvious danger, last start three wide facing the breeze the entire trip, he worked up the hill in the early stages then was the first one to take off inside the 600m and was still boxing on at the line. This time he’ll be the horse in the box seat and he’ll take plenty of holding out. For me Seaburge looks to have more scope to improve over 2000 metres.
Suggested Bet – Seaburge $4.20 WIN
RACE 6 – 3:10PM
Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m)
Im not convinced It’s Somewhat beat much to win the Craven Plate in Sydney, he will have improved with 2000 metres under his belt and maps to get a dream run in transit but im prepared to take on his Craven plate form. Vanbrugh has been building gradually this prep, beaten 8-3/4 lengths first-up by Winx, then beaten 4-3/4 lengths by Winx and Hauraki before his latest effort behind Hauraki in the Epsom, beaten 2-3/4 lengths. He’s got the right form, finds a race over his favoured trip and with the likes of The Cleaner engaged, it will be run to suit. If he handles Caulfield, it’ll take a good one to beat him with 54.5kg.
Suggested Bet – Vanbrugh $6.50 EW
RACE 7 – 3:45PM
Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m)
This is an interesting edition of the Tristarc Stakes.The Melbourne mares races have been genuine lottery affairs and I am very keen to take that form on. The leading contenders all come from Sydney and it is Danish Twist that stands out at her current quote. The Dane Shadow mare went to another level during her autumn campaign and she returned to the races with close to a career best performance in the Premiere Stakes. Her second-up record is excellent and 1400 metres is her pet trip. Tycoon Tara is the obvious danger. She has been racing in outstanding form, but she has now been up for a while and I am unsure whether she can continue to perform at this level. Team Snowden must be respected, but I can’t get her as short as her current quote.
Suggested Bet – Danish Twist $5 EW
RACE 8 – 4:30PM
Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m)
The big one. I dont think this is the strongest field of Caulfield Cup contenders weve seen in recent years, but it still stands to be a great race. Jameka is a clear favourite and it is easy to see why. The Myboycharlie mare produced the best performance of her career in the Naturalism Stakes and she ran extremely well again when second behind Hartnell in the Turnbull Stakes. Her record over 2400 metres is strong and there is no doubt she is the pick of the local chances.
The internationals add some interest to this race and they are tough to line up, but Scottish looks a nice horse for the Caulfield Cup. His form in England this season has been very strong and he is a similar style of horse to 2008 Caulfield Cup winner All The Good. He maps to get a dream run into this race with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
That said, im keen on one at odds here, Im with Sacred Master. He will run a strong 2400m and he should settle closer to them than last start off the better barrier. He has the class to match this high quality field and on 51.5kg is thrown in well at the weights especially with Tommy Berry aboard. I’m confident.
Suggested Bet – Sacred Master $24 EW
RACE 9 – 5:10PM
Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m)
Hellbent could hardly have been more impressive when he won at Caulfield last start and that form was franked when Sheidel came out and won at Caulfield last weekend. There is no doubt that he is a sprinter with plenty of talent and he is heading in the right direction, but it is tough to get him as short as his current quote against this level of competition. Wild Rain resumed from a spell with a win in the Monash Stakes in July before bringing her back for a Group 2 win in the McEwen Stakes and a good third to Extreme Choice in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at weight-for-age at her last two runs in September. Mark Kavanagh has Wild Rain going in terrific form and has kept her to the short course races with good effort. She has drawn to get the perfect sit here and should fight out the finish.
Suggested Bet – Wild Rain $6.50 EW
RACE 10 – 5:45PM
Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m)
This is a tricky way to finish the day for punters. Takedown has been absolutely flying for Gary Moore this preparation and he finds himself in another very winnable race. He looks ready for the step-up to 1400 metres at this stage of his campaign and he has showed a most impressive will to win. He maps to get a dream run in transit with Blake Shinn in the saddle and there is no reason why he can’t make it three wins on the trot. Voodoo lad the obvious main danger, my concern with him is hes been up a longtime.
