Japanese stayer Admire Rakti stormed down the outside to record an impressive win in the 2014 Caulfield Cup at Caulfield this afternoon.
Admire Rakti wins the Group 1 Caulfield Cup 2014. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
Admire Rakti was settled towards the tail of the field by jockey Zac Purton in the early stages of the race and he tracked into the race about three wide, but with cover.
Rising Romance got a lovely run up the the rails and pulled clear of the rest of the field at the 250 metre mark, while Purton pulled Admire Rakti to the outside coming around the final turn.
The Australian Oaks winner mare looked as though she had the race won, but Admire Rakti showed a most impressive turn-of-foot to catch Rising Romance in the shadows of the post and give Japan their first ever win in the Caulfield Cup.
Caulfield Cup favourite Lucia Valentina had a tough run in transit and she was forced to come extremely wide around the final turn, but was still able to run home bravely for third.
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The 2014 Caulfield Cup results will be available in six and a half hours and punters right around Australia are still trying to work out who is going to take out the Group 1 event that will be held at Caulfield this afternoon.
Lucia Valentina is a clear favourite in 2014 Caulfield Cup betting markets. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Lucia Valentina has been highly regarded in 2014 Caulfield Cup betting markets since her third place finish in the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in the autumn and her odds to take out the $3 million race have shortened at each of her race starts this preparation.
The Savabeel mare resumed with an outstanding performance in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on September 6 and was sixth in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) before she was backed into outright Caulfield Cup favouritism by taking out the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4.
The form coming out of the Turnbull Stakes has been highly respected by punters and runner-up Lidari as well as third place finisher Brambles have been the two best backed-runners in Caulfield Cup betting markets in the past 24 hours.
Lidari was available at 2014 Caulfield Cup odds of $41 on Tuesday morning when it looked as though he would be the first emergency, but he has been consistently backed throughout the week and he is now on the second line of betting at $9.
The Acclamation entire had trouble settling in his races in his first couple of preparations in Australia, but Peter Moody believes that he has worked out how to train the imported galloper and he has had an ideal preparation for the Caulfield Cup.
Lidari resumed with a fifth place finish in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 16 and he was fourth in both the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 6 and Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 20 before he stormed into Caulfield Cup calculations with a fighting second in the Turnbull Stakes.
The return to racing of Brambles has been one of the feel good stories of the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival to date and a win in the Caulfield Cup would cap of a remarkable comeback after he missed two years of racing due to a variety of injury issues.
Moody elected to give Brambles three runs during the winter period to get some race fitness back into the legs of the Savabeel gelding and the six-year-old was then able to hit the spring carnival running; finishing in the placings in the Listed Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock Stakes (1700m) and the Turnbull Stakes and took out the Spring Is The Season Handicap (1700m).
One of the most interesting runners in the 2014 Caulfield Cup field is Japanese stayer Admire Rakti, who has remained steady at Caulfield Cup odds of $10 throughout the week.
Admire Rakti has not been seen at the races since he finished 13th in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3218m) in Kyoto in May, but his form must be respected and he has been competitive at the highest level of racing in Japan.
Junoob ($13 into $9.50) has been one of the best backed runners in 2014 Caulfield Cup betting markets in the past 24 hours, while there has been money for Seismos ($26 into $19), Who Shot Thebarman ($17 into $13) and Rising Romance ($16 into $14).
The 2014 Caulfield Cup will be run at Caulfield at 5.40 (AEDT) this afternoon and you will be able to find all the Caulfield Cup results at horseracing.com.au.
