Rageese was allocated barrier 15 at the 2015 Caulfield Guineas barrier draw that was held earlier in the week and co-trainer Wayne Hawkes he is unsure whether the talented colt can win from the wide gate.
James Winks has been booked to ride Rageese in the 2015 Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Rageese started his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a flat performance in the Listed The Rosebud (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 8 before he claimed his maiden race win in comfortable fashion at Wyong on August 30.
The Street Cry colt returned to Group 1 level for the Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 12 and he finished a credible fourth, while he tired late to finish third behind Press Statement in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 26.
Hawkes has been happy with the form of Rageese and he believes that the three-year-old will be helped by the application of blinkers, but he told Sky Racing HQ that luck in running from the bad gate will be key to his 2015 Caulfield Guineas chances.
“Rageese has done really well and I am just disappointed that he has drawn such a bad barrier,” Hawkes said.
“He has blinkers on for the first time and the blinkers will improve him out of sight, but all of a sudden you are going up to a mile for the first time, he has blinkers for the first time and he has drawn a terrible barrier.
“There are a few minuses and from bad barriers you don’t win.
“Unfortunately that is how it is, but he is really, really good.”
Rageese is joined in the 2015 Caulfield Guineas field by stablemate Snoopy, who has developed into a surprise contender for the $1 million race.
Snoopy started his racing career with three straight victories and he had no luck whatsoever in the Listed Pin And Win Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 12 before he showed that he was worthy of a start in the Caulfield Guineas when he finished a close fourth in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26.
Hawkes believes that Snoopy is another horse that will be advantaged by a gear change and he is confident that the Lope De Vega colt has the talent to win what is a fairly average edition of the Caulfield Guineas.
“Snoopy is all but faultless,” Hawkes said.
“We have just taken the winkers off and he will have no gear on Saturday.
“It looks like he will run the mile out and it is a very even bunch of horses this year.
“You probably don’t need an All Too Hard or a Pierro.”
Snoopy is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Guineas odds of $31 with Ladbrokes, while Rageese is priced at $41 to claim a maiden win at the highest level of racing.
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