Champion trainer Chris Waller’s lightweight chance Sacred Master continues to firm in the betting for the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Jockey Tommy Berry, above, rides Sacred Master in the Caulfield Cup at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Since the final field for the Caulfield Cup was released on Tuesday, Sacred Master has had plenty of support at Ladbrokes.com.au, firming in from $34 to be a $21 chance on Thursday.
Waller is also a supporter of Sacred Master and prefers him over his stablemate, multiple Group 1 winner Preferment who has been given the task of carrying the 57kg topweight.
Preferment, with Hugh Bowman to ride, also came up with gate fifteen in the original barrier draw while Sacred Master will jump from barrier eight with only 51.5kg on his back with Tommy Berry in the saddle.
“Sacred Master I think has a pretty good chance. He is in form and loves dry track,” Waller told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“For Preferment, this is the best option we have for him at the moment. He has been disappointing in the Hill Stakes and Turnbull Stakes in the lead-up but he has earned his weight.”
Former New Zealand trained Sacred Master won his first race for Waller when he beat Dee I Cee and Junoob in the Group 3 $175,000 XXXX Gold Newcastle Cup (2200m) on the Beaumont track at Newcastle on September 16 and the premiership winning trainer wasn’t disappointed with his run when fourth, with Berry in the saddle, to Sir John Hawkwood in the Group 1 $750,000 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 1.
“He has had a tough preparation and I think you need a tough preparation to win a Caulfield Cup,” Waller said.
“He was good when he won the Newcastle Cup and in the Metropolitan, where he was fourth, he just got too far back and really found the line.
“Tommy knows him well and I think he is going to run out the 2400m and from gate eight he can be closer in the race.”
While Sacred Master has had plenty of friends in the betting, top weight Preferment has hovered around the $26 mark with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Preferment, a four time Group 1 winner, hasn’t visited the winner stall since his victory in the Group 1 $1.5m The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on March during the Sydney Autumn Carnival and is coming off a last start fourth to Hartnell in the Group 1 $500,000 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2.
The Ciaron Maher trained Jameka sits at the top of the Caulfield Cup market order at $3.60 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of English stayer Scottish and the Darren Weir trained Real Love at $7.50 and German stayer Articus at $9.
Market order for the Caulfield Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.60 Jameka, $7.50 Scottish, Real Love, $9 Articus, $11 Exospheric, $12 Sir Isaac Newton, $15 Sir John Hawkwood, $18 Tally, $21 Sacred Master, $26 Preferment, Tarzino, Our Ivanhowe, $34 Set Square, $51 Pemberley, $61 Almoonqith, $67 De Little Engine, $71 Big Money, $81 Go Dreaming, $201 Vengeur Masque.
