Exciting gelding Clevadude will begin his Caulfield Guineas campaign in a two-year-olds handicap race at Caulfield this Saturday.
Clevadude is on track to become Rick Hore-Lacy's first Caulfield Guineas runner since Chase The Rainbow in 2011. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The son of Bel Esprit will be making his first appearance at the races since he finished fourteenth in the 2013 Magic Millions Classic (1200m) after starting the race as one of the favourites.
Clevadude went into the race undefeated, after impressive wins in the Condo’s Horse Transport (1000m) at Cranbourne and the Sportingbet Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley, but drew a wide barrier for the Magic Millions and was never able to get into the race.
Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy originally had Clevadude penciled in for a start at Caulfield in the Procal Dairies Handicap (1000m) last Saturday but gave him an extra fortnight so he could return to the races in the best condition possible.
“I just felt he wasn’t fit enough, he’s a big gross horse and it just takes time to hone him down,” Hore-Lacy told Racing Victoria.
“He’s ready to go now, he’s been back in work about eight weeks and he’ll have a jump out at Caulfield on Tuesday.”
While the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) is the main Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival goal for Clevadude, Hore-Lacy has not ruled out a possible tilt in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.
Hore-Lacy has had past success in the Caulfield Guineas, winning the race with Redoute’s Choice in 1999, while his most recent starter Chase the Rainbow finished seventh behind Helmet in 2011.
