A high class international Caulfield Cup contingent is set to take centre stage at Caulfield on Saturday with a capacity field ready to line up in the $3m Group 1 2400m Spring Carnival staying contest.
Rising Romance, orange colours, gets her chance to go one better this year after getting pipped on the post, above, by Admire Rakti in the 2014 Caulfield Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Racing will be at the highest quality throughout the day with the Melbourne Racing Club putting together a ten race program which includes two Group 2s, four Group 3s and two Listed races.
The forecast for Melbourne on Saturday is for a partly cloudy day and racing will be on a good track with the rail out 6m for the entire course.
Below are our Tips for every race on the mammoth ten race program.
Race 1 – Yellowglen Plate
The $100,000 Yellowglen Plate over 1400m kicks off the day with eleven three-year-old fillies to do battle with a fairly congested market to start proceedings.
Selections
- 1st No. 5 Andrioli
- 2nd No. 6 Hell Or Highwater
- 3rd No. 4 Italy
- 4th No. 3 Air Apparent
Race 2 – Listed Gothic Stakes
Seven three-year-old colts and geldings will line up in the Listed $120,000 Polytrack Gothic Stakes over 1400m with the Lee and Anthony Freedman trained unbeaten gelding Santa Ana Lane being enlisted the clear cut favourite.
Selections
- 1st No. 1 Takedown
- 2nd No. 6 Santa Ana Lane
- 3rd No. 2 Metallic Crown
- 4th No. 3 Holler
Ladbrokes are offering a great deal for punters having a bet early in the day on Caulfield Cup Day. If your first fixed odds win bet in races 1 – 5 wins, your will get 50% extra on your winnings on your first winner up to a maximum bet of $50.
Race 3 – Group 2 Caulfield Sprint
The Group 2 $200,000 Dilmah Single Origin Teas Caulfield Sprint (1000m) has only attracted a small field of eight sprinters but it will evolve into an intriguing battle between Peter Moody’s highly promising three year old Kinglike and the proven speedster Ball Of Muscle. The reappearance of high quality mare Lumosty will also make it a very interesting race.
Selections
- 1st No. 1 Ball Of Muscle
- 2nd No. 6 Kinglike
- 3rd No. 3 Lumosty
- 4th No. 5 Headwater
Race 4 – Group 3 Ethereal Stakes
Honesta will be hard to beat in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes. Photo by Daniel Costello
A capacity field of sixteen fillies are set to line up in the Group 3 $150,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes (2000m). The John Thompson trained Honesta was beaten a whisker at Group 1 level in the $500,000 Flight Stakes over 1600m at Randwick last start and will be hard to beat here. Ambience is also in form winning her last two.
Selections
- 1st No. 3 Honesta
- 2nd No. 2 Ambience
- 3rd No. 5 Bannatyne
- 4th No. 10 Dawn Of Hope
Race 5 – Group 3 Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic
Caulfield Guineas runner up Lizard Island and Edward Manifold second placegetter Sacred Eye look the two standout three year olds in the Group 3 $500,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic (2000m).
Selections
- 1st No. 1 Lizard Island
- 2nd No. 13 Sacred Eye
- 3rd No. 3 Ayers Rock
- 4th No. 6 Tivaci
Race 6 – Group 3 David Jones Cup
A great clash is anticipated in the Group 3 $150,000 David Jones Cup (2000m) between the in-form Group 1 winners Stratum Star and Fenway. Dibayani gets a run here after missing out on a spot in the Caulfield Cup and the Chris Waller trained Saddler’s Lake has been performing well in Sydney.
Selections
- 1st No. 1 Stratum Star
- 2nd No. 5 Fenway
- 3rd No. 2 Dibayani
- 4th No. 6 Sadler’s Lake
Having a bet at Caulfield on Saturday? You can get over the odds by taking advantage of Ladbrokes Caulfield Cup Day Special Offer of Best Tote or SP + 20% on every race up to a maximum bet of $50.
Race 7 – Group 3 Moonga Stakes
Under The Louvre has been racing well in tougher company and gets his chance to breakthrough for a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Moonga Stakes (1400m). Vashka scored a narrow win in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill and is one of the main chances again.
Selections
- 1st No. 8 Under The Louvre
- 2nd No. 4 Vashka
- 3rd No. 6 Worthy Cause
- 4th No. 3 Charlie Boy
Race 8 – Group 2 Tristarc Stakes
Stablemates Catkins and Amicus are set to clash in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Tristarc Stakes (1400m). The two Chris Waller trained mares have to redeem themselves after last start defeats and the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Gregers is better suited here.
Selections
- 1st No. 3 Gregers
- 2nd No. 2 Catkins
- 3rd No. 1 Amicus
- 4th No. 6 Sanatini
Race 9 – Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup
Mongolian Khan (pictured outside finishing third to Criterion last start) heads the market for the 2015 Caulfield Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos
A capacity field of eighteen is set to go around in the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) with several European and Japanese horses taking on the cream of the Australasian stayers. Kiwi four year old Mongolian Khan heads the market order ahead of locals Set Square, Hauraki and Rising Romance with the Japanese stayer Fame Game the most fancied of the international runners.
Selections
- 1st No. 14 Rising Romance
- 2nd No. 6 Mongolian Khan
- 3rd No. 2 Snow Sky
- 4th No. 10 Royal Descent
Race 10 – Listed Alinghi Stakes
A fairly even bunch of fillies and mares will line up in the Listed $120,000 Crown Golden Ale Alinghi Stakes (1100m) to conclude Caulfield Cup Day. Last year’s winner The Messina Nymph comes back to Caulfield in winning form while Afleet Esprit, Miss Promiscuity, Vezalay and Fontiton are all winners over this course and distance.
Selections
- 1st No. 6 The Messina Nymph
- 2nd No. 4 Fontiton
- 3rd No. 1 Afleet Esprit
- 4th No. 12 Vezalay
