Improving three year old Bon Aurum continues to please trainer Ciaron Maher as he prepares to run in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10.
Bon Aurum, lime cap, earned a start in the Caulfield Guineas after winning the Caulfield Guineas Prelude above. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Bon Aurum is only still competing in his first preparation and has done a fantastic job producing three wins and two placings from only six race starts.
But the way Bon Aurum has handled the step up has class has Maher stepping high heading towards the Caulfield Guineas.
The Bon Hoffa colt only went to the race track for the first time at the end of June and came away with a fourth in a 1200m Echuca Maiden but was quick to find the winner’s stall at his next race starts in a 1200m Geelong Maiden on July 14.
Bon Aurum was placed at his next two starts with a third in a 1400m Flemington BenchMark 70 Handicap followed by a second in a 1200m Sandown BenchMark 64 Handicap.
Maher then stepped the colt up in class and distance and he scored an upset win in the Listed $120,000 Pin & Win Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 12 and then earned a place in the Caulfield Guineas with a win in the Group 3 $175,000 BECK Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26.
Maher is pleased with the way Bon Aurum has come through the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and is hopeful that he still has further improvement in him.
“He is getting quite deep into his preparation but he is still racing with plenty of enthusiasm and he just keeps improving each time,” Maher said.
“Hopefully he can continue to do that for one more run when we run in the Guineas.”
Maher can’t fault Bon Aurum and said that he has a great constitution as he heads towards the $1m feature for the three year olds.
“He has come through in great order. Really bright, really well,” Maher said.
“He never misses an oat, he is quite strong that way, a good constitution and he seems nice and bright.”
Bon Aurum’s quick rise through the three year old ranks has prompted bookmakers at Ladbrokes.com.au to keep him safe in the Caulfield Guineas market order and he is sharing the second line of betting at $8 with the Peter Moody trained Bassett and Mick Price’s Ready For Victory.
Caulfield Guineas Prelude placegetters Tulsa, second, and Dal Cielo, third, share the next line of betting at $9.
The lightly race Bassett has won two of his three race starts but was impressive winning last time out in an 1100m Three Year Old Handicap at Caulfield on September 19 while Ready For Victory disappointed last time out when ninth behind Bon Autumn in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
Stewards inquired into the poor performance of Ready To Victory and jockey Damien Oliver said the colt did not travel well and might be better suited if he were to wear a set of blinkers in the future.
