The John O’Shea trained Impending is currently the favourite for the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday following the release of the fourteen horse field today.
Impending, above, is at the top of the market order at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Impending at $4.40 holds a slight advantage over the Team Hawkes trained Divine Prophet who is the second pick at $4.80 with Ladborkes.com.au.
The barrier draw saw Impending draw gate ten in the Caulfield Guineas and the Lonhro colt heads to Melbourne on the back of a win in the Group 2 $200,000 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on September 24.
In-form jockey James McDonald will be aboard Impending again and the powerful Godophin stable will be chasing another Melbourne Spring Carnival Group 1 trophy after Hartnell scored an effortless win in the $500,000 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Sunday.
Hartnell’s win in the Turnbull Stakes capped off a great weekend for the Godolphin Team after O’Shea saddled up three winners at Randwick on Saturday with Jorda wining the first two year old race of the season by taking out the Listed $150,000 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), It’s Somewhat was too good for his three rivals in the Group 3 $125,000 APN Outdoor Craven Plate (2000m) and Hauraki came from last to win the Group 1 $1m Epsom (1600m).
Divine Prophet has drawn the inside gate with Dwayne Dunn in the saddle and comes to Caulfield following his last start second to Impending in the Stan Fox which following his fourth to Astern in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 10.
“He was brilliant first-up winning (the Up And Coming Stakes) then things didn’t go his way next time (in the Golden Rose when fourth). We can’t change that,” co-trainers Michael Hawkes told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“The small field and no tempo worked against him last start [when runner-up to Impending in the Stan Fox Stakes] but I think Saturday he should get speed in a bigger field.
“We know he has a great turn of foot and we have just been waiting for him to get into a race with the right circumstances to show it. He is great and we couldn’t be happier with him.”
On the third line of betting at $7 is the Group 1 Kiwi trained Sacred Elixir who gained plenty of admirers with a first up win in the Group 3 $175,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 24.
The James Cummings trained Good Standing is also well in contention at $8 just ahead of the in-form Hey Doc at $9 and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Evacuation at $9.50.
Good Standing is coming off a last start third to Impending in The Stan Fox Stakes while the Tony McEvoy trained Hey Doc has worked his way up through the classes and earned a start in the Caulfield Guineas after racking up a hat trick of wins with his last start victory in the Group 2 $200,000 Strathmore Community Bank Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley last Friday night.
The lightly racec Evacuation will only be having his fourth start in the Caulfield Guineas following his latest seventh to Sacred Elixir in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
Market order for the Caulfield Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.40 Impending, $4.80 Divine Prophet, $7 Sacred Elixir, $8 Good Standing, $9 Hey Doc, $9.50 Evacuation, $13 Saracino, $17 Seaburge, $21 Revolving Door, $26 Wazzenme, Kaching, $34 Land Of Plenty, $61 So Si Bon, $201 Barbie’s Boy.
