The 2014 Caulfield Guineas field has been released with 14 talented three-year-olds included in the acceptances for the Group 1 event that will be held at Caulfield on Saturday.
Rich Enuff is set to start the 2014 Caulfield Guineas as a clear favourite. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Rich Enuff has been the star three-year-old performer of the 2014 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival to date and is set to start the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) as a clear favourite after recording three wins from as many starts this preparation.
The Written Tycoon colt stamped himself as a colt to watch with a dominant front-running display in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on August 23 and he proved it was no fluke when he took out the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 13.
There were question marks over whether Rich Enuff would be capable of running out a strong 1400 metres in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 28 after he drew a wide barrier, but the three-year-old was able to kick well clear of the rest of the field to record another impressive win despite being taken on in the early stages of the race.
Looks Like The Cat has finished second behind Rich Enuff in both his starts during his spring preparation and will have the chance to turn-the-tables on his rival this weekend after he was included in the Caulfield Guineas field.
The Husson gelding was placed in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and looks as though he will be suited by the step-up to a mile after running on strongly in both the Danehill Stakes and the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
Our Vespa finished a luckless sixth in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and has been included in the Caulfield Guineas field, while Wandjina, Stingray and Lucky Tom will also back-up in the Group 1 event this weekend.
Almalad is the only horse in the Caulfield Guineas field that has previously recorded a win at Group 1 level, after he took out the J.J. Atkins in the winter, and he is taking winning form into the $1 million race.
The Al Maher gelding started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a poor performance on a heavy track in the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30, but produced an improved effort when fourth in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) before he took out the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 26 in impressive fashion.
Another horse that is taking winning form into the Caulfield Guineas is Team Snowden-trained Shooting To Win.
Shooting To Win finished second in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Royal Randwick on September 6 and he was third in the Golden Rose Stakes before he recorded his first win at Group level with an impressive performance in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 27.
Merion was withdrawn from the Caulfield Guineas Prelude due to concerns about the firmness of the track, but is another galloper taking winning form into the Listed Living Legends Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 23.
Blueblood colt Zululand, Mark Kavanagh-trained Chivalry, Godolphin colt Kumaon, Stutt Stakes placegetter Moonovermanhattan and the talented Zebulon round out the 2014 Caulfield Guineas field.
The 2014 Caulfield Guineas barrier draw will be conducted by the Melbourne Racing Club shortly.
