The 2015 Caulfield Stakes Form Guide sees a top class field of high quality performers lining up at Caulfield in the Group 1 $400,000 weight for age feature over 2000m with six of the seven runners Group 1 winners.
Trainer Chris Waller is saddling up another feature race favourite with Kermadec who is coming off a win in the Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 19.
- 1. Criterion
Criterion is having his first run back in Australia in the Caulfield Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
Criterion has returned from an overseas campaign and is having his first run since finishing sixth in the Group 1 £900,000 Juddmonte International Stakes (1 mile 2 furlongs 88 yards) at York in England on August 19. The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Criterion was one of the stars of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. Michael Walker is the new rider for Criterion who has drawn barrier seven in the eight horse field. Criterion is listed as a $7 chance with Ladbrokes.com.au.
- 2. Fawkner
Fawkner kicked off his Melbourne Spring Carnival in dynamic form with a first up win in the Group 1 $400,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12 followed by a second to Mourinho in the Group 1 $400,000 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield two weeks later. Craig Williams takes over from the suspended Damien Oliver on Fawkner who is on the second line of betting at $4.
- 3. Happy Trails
Happy Trails had no luck last start when tenth to Preferment in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Sunday and trainer Paul Beshara is keen to give him another run before the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24. Mark Zahra takes over from Dwayne Dunn and should be bale to get Happy Trails into clear running from barrier six. Happy Trails is at the good odds of $14.
- 4. Contributer
The John O’Shea trained Contributer was the weight for age star of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with wins in the Group 1 $500,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm and in the Group 1 $500,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill. But he has failed to find that form in the Spring and heads into today’s Group 1 $400,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on the back of a sixth to Mourinho in the Group 1 $400,000 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 26. Blake Shinn takes over from James McDonald on the $10 chance.
- 5. Pornichet
Pornichet get his chance for another Group 1 win in the Caulfield Stakes. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Pornichet finished right on the heels of Kermadec and Royal Descent when third in the Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 19 and is marked at $6 on the third line of betting. The Gai Waterhouse trained Pornichet has already tasted success at Group 1 level with a win in the $650,000 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben during the Brisbene Winter Carnival. Kerrin McEvoy should give him the run of the race from barrier three.
- 6. Entirely Platinum
The Team Hawkes trained Entirely Platinum hasn’t been far off the mark this Spring campaign and resumed for a narrow second to Boban in the Group 1 $400,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29. At his last start Entirely Platinum raced on the pace before finishing fifth to Winx in the Group 1 $1m The Star 150th Epsom (1600m) at Randwick on October 3. Entirely Platinum is the outsider of the field at $31.
- 7. Kermadec
Kemardec is the ruling favourite for the Caulfield Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Chris Waller trained Kermadec heads up the market order at $3.40 and can make it successive wins at Group 1 level in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes after winning the Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick three weeks ago with Glyn Schofield. Glen Boss is back on board and is hoping they can repeat their winning effort together after they took out the Group 1 $3m The Star 150th Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
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- 8. Mongolian Khan
Australian Derby winner Mongolian Khan isn’t the roughest in the field at $10 and wasn’t far off the pace at his second Spring Carnival run when fourth to Mourinho in the Group 1 $400,000 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 26. Top Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson will continue his association with Mongolian Khan who is likely to settle midfield from barrier two.
