Godolphin colt Kumaon has been included in the 2014 Caulfield Classic field and is set to back up in the Group 3 event after finishing fourth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last Saturday.
Kumaon finished a tough fourth behind Shooting To Win in the 2014 Caulfield Guineas last weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Kumaon went into the Caulfield Guineas as one of the outsiders in betting, but he made up plenty of ground to finish fourth behind Shooting To Win in a performance that indicated he will relish the step-up to 2000 metres in the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) on Saturday.
Also backing up from the Caulfield Guineas will be Mike Moroney-trained Merion, who was caught wide in the early stages of the Group 1 event before battling home fairly to finish fifth.
Merion has been included in the entries for the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and connections are likely to be make a decision on whether he presses on to the Group 1 event after they see how he handles the step-up in distance in the Caulfield Classic this weekend.
The Listed UCI Stakes (1800m) has historically been the best form guide to the Caulfield Classic, which was previously known as the Norman Robinson Stakes, and winner Magicool will have the chance to replicate the effort of Polanski who completed the double last year before going on to win the Victoria Derby.
Magicool outstayed his rivals in the UCI Stakes to record a tough victory and he is set to take on third placegetter War Point, Ciaron Maher-trained Light Up Manhattan, Fastnet Rock colt Firehouse Rock, Steve Richards-trained Justaway and the inconsistent Hawking again this weekend.
Gerald Ryan-trained Bachman is set to make his Melbourne racing debut in the Caulfield Classic and he has form around some of the best three-year-olds in Australia during his three race starts to date this preparation.
Bachman resumed with a 12th place finish behind Hallowed Crown in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m), produced an improved performance when fourth behind Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) and was a credible third behind Spring Champion Stakes winner Hampton Court in the Listed Dulcify Quality (1600m).
Robert Smerdon will be the only trainer with multiple runners in the 2014 Caulfield Classic field after he included talented fillies Fontein Ruby and Crafty in the acceptances for the $750,000 race.
Fontein Ruby made her debut at Group 1 level with a fighting win over the highly regarded Maastricht in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 4, while Crafty finished a close third in the same race.
The Caulfield Classic field is rounded out by maiden Cuban Fighter and Matt Laurie-trained Home Run Hero.
