2016 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas results: Divine Prophet wins

Sydney colt Divine Prophet was too strong for the local three year olds in scoring a narrow win in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield today.

Divine Prophet, above, scores a narrow win in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Divine Prophet, above, scores a narrow win in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Team Hawkes trained Divine Prophet settled midfield on the fence after jumping from barrier one and after gaining a split in the straight went on to beat the Lindsay Park trained Seaburge with Hey Doc running on to fill third spot.

Winning jockey Dwayne Dunn was happy to sit behind the leaders on the home turn and let Divine Prophet take him into the race at the 300m mark and the Choisir colt dug deep in the run to the line.

Divine Prophet was second time the Team Hawkes Training partnership of John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes have claimed the Caulfield Guineas trophy after All Too Hard won in 2012 while John Hawkes prepared the mighty Lonhro to win in 2001.

Divine Prophet ($7) had a head to spare on the line over $31 outsider Seaburge who was also strong on the line with the Tony McEvoy trained Hey Doc ($11) running the best race of his career to be half a length away in third spot.

Wayne Hawkes had a ton of praise for Dunn who didn’t panic when held up slightly for a short time on the home turn before securing a winning spilt at the right time.

“He was three back the fence, but you have to draw barrier,” Wayne Hawkes said.

“Barrier one, he was three back the fence. It was not a hard run race but he just waited for the split to come and he did the rest.”

“It is a big race this race. It’s a stallion making race and another good colt to go to stud.”

Hawkes has not completely ruled put a clash with Winx in the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22 but said it was most unlikely.

“Winx is Winx and Divine Prophet is Divine Prophet so she is going to the Cox Plate and we just won a Caulfield Guineas so to be fair this was our grand final,” Hawkes said.

“If we go onto the Cox Plate well sobeit. We won this race with Lonhro many years ago and pulled the pin and he was favourite for the Cox Plate and went to the paddock.”

“We put the horse first. If he warrants being in the Cox Plate he will line up but if he wants going to the paddock he will be on the first float.”

Today’s win was Divine Prophet’s third from seven starts and took his prizemoney earnings to just over $850,000.

 

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.