Caulfield racing tips & quaddie picks | 2022 CF Orr Stakes Day

Race 1: BM84 Handicap (1400m)

CF Orr Stakes Day kicks off with a BM84 over 1400m and despite the urge to tip On The Boat as a moral is at an all-time high. The four-year-old bay gelding brought up an impressive fourth win in succession when smashing his rivals at The Valley on January 22. He returns to Caulfield, a track he strung consecutive victories at prior to his success at The Valley. Alana Kelly sticks on board and with an uncontested lead expected throughout, then he should prove too hard to run down. The query is whether he will see out the 1400m, but with the 2kg claim Kelly brings, he goes around with just 58kg and looks the best way to kick off the card.

Selections: 2-3-6-8

Race 2: Autumn Stakes (1400m)

The Group 2 Autumn Stakes is the first of the black-type events on Saturday and the Mitchell Freedman-trained Spirit Of Gaylard looks set for a Group 1 preparation. He was an emergency in the Victoria Derby but managed to claim the Listed TAB Trophy Stakes on Melbourne Cup Day. He resumes at 1400m and despite no doubt wanting further this preparation, he may just win this on talent alone. With Lucky Decision set to make this a genuinely run affair, the race looks set up for Spirit Of Gaylard to storm down the centre of the track and ultimately prove too hard to hold out.

Selections: 2-7-1-4

Race 3: Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m)

The Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude for the colts and geldings is next up and we are expecting the Team Hawkes-trained Semillion to continue the stables momentum on the way to potential Blue Diamond Stakes success. The two-year-old colt was an impressive winner in the Inglis Banner on Cox Plate Day during the spring and was quickly put away for some of the autumn features for two-year-olds. When stablemate Sebonack won last week, trainer Wayne Hawkes warned that there was still a few two-year-olds from the stable to keep an eye. We expect he was talking about Semillion and with the in-form Jye McNeil on board, the stable clearly mean business with the son of Shalaa.

Selections: 1-5-4-6

Race 4: Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m)

We were with the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained No Diggity when winning comfortably over the 1200m at Caulfield on January 12 and she looks a nice bet here in the Blue Diamond Preview for fillies. The Sebring filly makes her own luck up on speed and despite drawing wide in barrier 14, we expect Craig Newitt to have her settled outside the leader. Froggy has been on board in both career starts and has piloted her to impressive wins on both occasions. We don’t expect the drop back to 1100m to be too much of an issue and with $11 on offer from Sportsbet, it is a price we simply cannot pass up for the undefeated filly.

Selections: 5-1-3-8

Race 5: Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m)

One of our better value bets of the day is set to step out in the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes for the fillies and we think debut Flemington winner Madame Du Gast can go on with the job. Having taken a sit off a moderate tempo on that day, the De Gaulle filly managed to do her best work late and was pulling away from subsequent Moonee Valley winner Elite Icon. With a quickly run 1200m event expected, the race will be set up for a swooper to finish over the top of some potentially vulnerable favourites. Matthew Cartwright sticks on board which is an added bonus and despite not having the runs on the board like some of her rivals, we anticipate Madame Du Gast will get the job done on talent alone.

Selections: 15-6-9-10

Race 6: TS Carlyon Cup (1400m)

The Group 3 TS Carlyon Cup kicks off Saturday’s quaddie and we will be hoping the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Normandy bridge can kick off his Australian career in style. Having won at Group 3 level in France and placed in Group 1 company already in his lightly raced career, he clearly has plenty of ability under his hood. Ciaron Maher revealed in an interview in the week that Normandy Bridge seemingly has a stronger turn of foot than stable starts Floating Artist and Grand Promenade. Despite no doubt wanting further, we’re happy to take the $4.20 on offer from Sportsbet and back him here on his way to a potential run in the Australian Cup.

Selections: 8-6-2-1

Race 7: Rubiton Stakes (1100m)

It has been almost 12 months since Artorious took out the Blue Diamond Stakes and despite a frustrating spring, we expect the colt to kick off his autumn prep with a win in the Rubiton Stakes. He was beaten 3.5 lengths in the Coolmore Stud Stakes back on October 30 when stepping back from the mile in what was a fine display of versatility when finishing third. This is arguably easier than that assignment and with two minor placings from two first-up runs, we expect he break his fresh duck with a win at a track he is yet to miss the top three at in three starts. With Oxley Road and Mileva set to provide a genuine tempo throughout, look for Artorius to be thundering home late and staking his claim for further Group 1 success this campaign.

Selections: 2-1-6-8

Race 8: C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m)

Click here for our full preview of the 2022 C.F. Orr Stakes

Race 9: Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1400m)

Our best bet of the day comes up in the final race of the day when the Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel steps out to defend her Geoffrey Bellamine Stakes crown. She was first up last year heading into this race and needing to lug 60kg from barrier 11. 12 months later, she lugs 60kg from barrier three and looks to be a class above this field once again. Having claimed the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes against Zaaki during the spring on her way to a fifth place finish in the Cox Plate, she looks simply too good for a field like this. Look for Brett Prebble to stalk the speed throughout and with even luck in the straight, we expect Probabeel to go straight past her rivals and signify her intent for this autumn.

Selections: 1-2-3-5