Blinkers to improve Ready For Victory in Caulfield Guineas

Trainer Mick Price has added the blinkers to Ready For Victory in a bid to halt the winning run of New South Wales trained gallopers in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Ready For Victory will wear the blinkers for the first time in the Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Ready For Victory will wear the blinkers for the first time in the Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

The last four winners of the Caulfield Guineas have come out of Sydney stables with Peter Snowden winning with Helmet in 2011 and with Long John two years later for Darley and also collected the 2014 trophy with Shooting To Win after starting up a training partnership with his son Paul while Team Hawkes produced All To Hard to win in 2012.

Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller has arrived in Melbourne with all cylinders firing and provides the favourite for the Caulfield Guineas with Press Satement heading the betting at Ladbrokes.com.au at $2.60.

But Price is not conceding defeat and says that Ready To Victory is ready to show his best form, especially after pleasing the Caulfield trainer with a slick hit out with the blinkers on at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.

“He worked in blinkers on Saturday morning and again this morning and I think he will do everything right on the day. He’s cherry ripe,” Price said.

Ready For Victory worked with his stablemate and Caulfield Guineas rival Tarzino over 1200m in 1:22.35, running home the last 400m in 23.61s on the course proper.

Raceday rider Glen Boss was also impressed with Tuesday’s gallop and said that the blinkers definitely improved him.

“He is an outstanding colt,” Boss said.

“I rode him a couple of times earlier when he didn’t have blinkers but he has been improved by them. Blinkers certainly have switched him on.”

Damien Oliver has been aboard the More Than Ready colt at his last two starts but had to relinquish the ride to Boss after he was suspended for careless riding at Flemington last Sunday and incurred a ten meeting suspension.

Ready For Victory has been sent out the favourite at his last two starts but was held up in traffic when third to Kinglike down the Flemington straight in the Group 2 $200,000 Danehill Stakes (1200m) on September 12.

Oliver then suggested that Ready For Victroy wear the blinkers after his lacklustre ninth to Bon Aurum in the Group 3 $175,000 BECK Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26.

The confidence of Price and Boss isn’t reflected in the Caulfield Guineas betting with Ready For Victory easing from $6.50 to be at the current price of $7.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au.

But the odds for Ready For Victory or any other runner in the Caulfield Guineas and in all races at Caulfield on Saturday can be boosted if you log on to Ladbrokes.com.au and take advantage of their Caulfield Guineas Day Special offer of Best Tote or SP + 20% on ALL 10 races up to a maximum bet of $50.

Caulfield Guineas market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.60 Press Statement, $7.50 Ready For Victory, $9 Dal Cielo, $10 Tarzino, $13 Bassett, Bon Aurum, $14 Tulsa, $15 Sovereign Nation, $21 Last Bullet, $26 Mr Individual, $31 Lizard Island, Rageese, Shards, $41 Snoopy, $51 Odyssey Moon, $81 Kentucky Flyer, $151 More Than Most.

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.