Free tips and form for Saturday’s Group one racing at Caulfield
CAULFIELD Guineas day is one of the best punting days on the Australian horse racing calendar with four group ones on the bumper 10-race card.
The group one action starts with the Caulfield Stakes where champion mare Winx will oppose only two rivals for $600,000. It may be a small field, but punters in Melbourne will get a good look at the champion before it heads to Moonee Valley to defend its Cox Plate crown.
The action continues with the Thousand Guineas where the Sydney fillies are dominating the market, but there are a host of local chances paying great prices with bookmakers.
The Caulfield Guineas runs at 3.15pm which features a quality field of three-year-olds from all across Australasia looking to snatch the $1 million purse.
Group one racing ends with the Toorak Handicap which makes for an interesting race. He’s Our Rokki is in a rich vein of form and will be looking to see off challenges from the likes of Tosen Stardom, Bon Aurum and Royal Rapture.
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Race 1 – Inglis Debutant Stakes (1000m)
Double Jeopardy is the only runner in the field which has had a race day start. The Ellerton/Zahra-trained colt finished second in the Maribyrnong Trial last week and it take great benefit from that outing. It opened at $3.50, but has drifted to $4.
On a similar betting drift is Wait For No One which opened at $3.60 and has moved out to $4. The Lonhro colt won both trials leading into this and has drawn nicely in barrier one. Expect it to settle in a forward position and be tough to beat.
Tony McEvoy is training in good form and he lines up Miss Wahoo here. The Master of Design filly finished second in a trial last month and it has been well supported in the betting. It opened at $7 and currently stands at $6.50. Looks a winning threat.
Race 1 tip: Wait For No One to win ($4) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 2 – Herbert Power Stakes (2400m)
Pemberley has looked impressive winning its last two starts, but this is another step up in class. The five-year-old makes the rise in distance which should suit and down in the weights at 53kg, it could run close at odds of $7.
Assign finished second lengths behind Almandin last start and it has since come out and won impressively again. The Robert Hickmott-trained stayer is looking to book a Melbourne Cup berth and it could capitalise against the small field. There is only one last start winner in the field so it looks a strong chance at $2.90.
Howard Be Thy Name had an impressive campaign last season which included a win in the South Australian Derby and it’s now getting back up to its favoured distances. Trained by Darren Weir, it needed both runs back from the spell and it should push them close in this. Well backed at $3.80.
Race 2 tip: Assign to win ($2.90) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 3 – Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m)
Prompt Response is a quality filly for the Waterhouse/Bott combination which finished off well behind Selenia last start. The three-year-old has good form at this distance and form behind Concealer, Calliope and Missrock should stack up well here. $7.50 in win markets.
In The Vanguard was a stylish 2.5-length winner on debut before running second in the Sweet Embrace by a length. The John Sargent-trained filly has looked good in two recent trials and there is plenty to like about its chances in this. After opening at $6 it has dropped down to $4.40.
Modern Wonder is a decent long-shot chance at $10 following its last start placing behind Barthelona. That was a solid run in behind a good horse and it has the breeding to run good times over this distance. Drawn awkwardly in barrier 13, but it’s one for multiples.
Race 3 tip: In The Vanguard to win ($4.40) at WilliamHill.com.au
Race 4 – Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m)
Rageese is only a three-win horse, but its last two starts have been encouraging and two wins have come at this distance. The Darren Weir-trained four-year-old has no form at Caulfield which is concerning, but Williams rides down at 54kg and that makes it dangerous.
Chetwood has risen through the grades in fine style and looks a future stakes winner. The John O’Shea-trained gelding has won three consecutive races which ended with the Cameron Stakes last start where it beat Le Romain by over a length. It has class and it will go close at odds of $2.50.
Badawiya drops back from group one grade where it finished fifth in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. The Mick Price-trained hasn’t won for awhile now which is hurting punters, but it gets the inside draw here and a light weight of 54kg. Not the worst here at $5.
Race 4 tip: Chetwood to win ($2.50) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 5 – Cape Grim Bee Steaks Northwood Plume (1200m)
Secret Agenda couldn’t have been more impressive when winning at Caulfield last start. The Mick Price-trained mare scored by 2.25 lengths and making that back-to-back wins wouldn’t surprise many. It has drawn a touch awkwardly in barrier 10, but it has been well supported in from $4.20 to $4.
Sheidel is a professional winner of 12 from 22 and it should improve after finishing second behind Hellbent last start. The Hayes/Dabernig-trained mare has won and placed in two starts on this track and it has won three times at this distance. Another win doesn’t look far away and James McDonald riding is a positive. $4.20 with bookmakers.
Ameristralia has progressed nicely since breaking maiden grades three starts back. The Hawkes-trained mare put away a nice field at Caulfield last start by 2.75 lengths and it could continue its winning roll. This is a much harder field, but the $5.50 isn’t a bad price.
Race 5 tip: Sheidel to win ($4.20) at Bet365.com.au
Race 6 – Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m)
With only three horses in the field and one of those being champion mare Winx, punters should avoid betting on this race.
Black Heart Bart is a capable type for Darren Weir, but it’s facing another level of opposition here and a win looks unlikely.
Race 6 tip: Winx to win ($1.18) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 7 – Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m)
Global Glamour is backing up from its Group 1 Flight Stakes win last Saturday and it looms as a massive winning chance again. The Waterhouse/Bott-trained filly was having an unlucky campaign prior to the win, but it will likely head forward again and be tough to run down. Has firmed into $3.80 with bookmakers after opening at $5.50.
Foxplay showed its toughness when winning the Tea Rose Stakes last start after getting held up in the straight. The Chris Waller-trained filly is looking to make it three consecutive wins and it looks well placed to score at the highest level. Bowman rides and it looks a nice bet at $2.80.
Harlow Gold entered the fray as a Guineas hope after winning at Caulfield last start and the further it goes the better it will get. It will get a soft run from the inside barrier and it’s worth an each way bet at $12.
Race 7 tip: Foxplay to win ($2.80) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 8 – Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m)
Sacred Elixir is a Group 1 J.J. Atkins winner which looked impressive when winning the Guineas Prelude last start. The Tony Pike-trained gelding has won second up in the past so that shouldn’t be a problem and Raffles Thoroughbreds know how to win the big Australian races. Should go close at $6.50 after opening at $7.
Impending is a class three-year-old for John O’Shea which flew home to win the Stan Fox Stakes last start. The son of Lonhro will appreciate the rise in distance after producing good finishes behind Astern in the Run To The Rose and the Golden Rose, so consider here at $4.40.
Victorian runner Hey Doc has won its last three which includes a last start win in the Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley. The Tony McEvoy-trained gelding hasn’t had the same success at Caulfield, but if it can get some luck from the wide draw, it could figure in the finish at $11.
Race 8 tip: Impending to win ($4.40) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 9 – Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m)
He’s Our Rokki is one of the most improved horses in Australia having won its last four. The former New Zealand runner won the Carbine at Randwick before putting away three quality fields since. It cruised to victory by 3.25 lengths last start and although this is a step up in grade, it gets the inside draw and the light weight. Holding steady at $4.20 in the betting.
We can’t doubt the form of Bon Aurum which won the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes last start. The Ciaron Maher-trained horse makes the step up in distance to the mile which it hasn’t performed well at before, but it’s in better form now and punters should continue to follow it this spring. Second line of betting at $6.
Tosen Stardom has had its troubles this campaign, but it looms as a major threat in this. The Darren Weir-trained import has struggled in four starts at the mile, but three of those starts came in Japan behind the likes of Maurice. It flew home last start, but it hasn’t had much go right since so punters should take caution. $6 available with bookmakers.
Race 9 tip: He’s Our Rokki to win ($4.20) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 10 – Schillaci Stakes (1100m)
Malaguerra comes into this with a perfect fresh up record so punters will be enjoying the odds available. Bookmakers are offering $8.50 for the gelding which has won all four fresh up starts and its last run came in the Stradbroke Handicap. The weight of 58.5kg makes it tough, but it shouldn’t be left out.
Fell Swoop also brings in good fresh up form and it has winning experience at Caulfield. The Matthew Dale-trained gelding has won and placed here and the winner of nine races has been primed with two trial efforts. It has been fluctuating in the market, but is currently at $6.
Star Turn has been the best backed runner at $2.70 after opening at $3.10. The three-year-old was narrowly beaten by Astern last start which should be good form for this and its biggest asset for this run is the light weight. It will carry only 53kg with Craig Williams in the saddle which makes it a big winning hope.
Race 10 tip: Star Turn to win ($2.70) at WilliamHill.com.au