Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic Winner Sacred Eye To Crown Oaks

Sacred Eye stamped herself as a leading Crown Oaks contender with a strong staying victory in the 2015 Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic at Caulfield this afternoon.

Sacred Eye finished over the top of her rivals to take out the 2015 Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Sacred Eye finished over the top of her rivals to take out the 2015 Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Sacred Eye was beaten as a favourite in the MRC Foundation Plate (1400m) at Caulfield on September 19 and the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 4, but she was settled in a beautiful position just behind the speed in the early stages of the race, while Lizard Island rolled forward to take up the running.

Lizard Island made the first move at the top of the straight, but Sacred Eye looked like the winner a long way from home and she finished over the top of her rivals to take out the Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic.

Damian Lane picked up the ride on Sacred Eye in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic after regular jockey Michael Walker was suspended earlier in the week and the rising hoop believes that Walker will be on a very strong chance in the 2015 Crown Oaks.

“She is a beautiful filly,” Lane said.

“Michael Walker is my best mate and it takes the wind out of the sails that he was meant to ride her, but he said to me during the week that she would be hard to beat.

“He said she will be hard to beat in the Oaks as well, which she will be.

“The way that she surged to the front, she really flattened out nice and Michael is going to have a very nice Oaks ride.”

David Hayes has always had a big opinion of Sacred Eye and he was absolutely delighted that the promising filly had recorded her maiden black-type win in the 2015 Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic.

Hayes confirmed that Sacred Eye could go into the Crown Oaks without running in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day and he added that Sacred Eye may have the measure of stablemate and Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me over 2000 metres and beyond.

“She is a star and the longer she goes the better she will be,” Hayes said.

“It made it a bit easier watching Damien ride her so beautifully today and when he peeled out at the 600 three wide I knew that he thought he had them covered.

“Michael Walker has been saying that she has been stargazing and she probably would have won her last two.”

Leading online bookmaker Ladbrokes is still offering Best Tote or Starting Price +20% on every single race at Caulfield this afternoon, so don’t miss out on the best odds for every single Caulfield Cup runner.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.