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Caulfield gets the racing spotlight put back on it this Saturday with another strong nine-race card, highlighted by the $400,000 Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m).
Last year we saw an unforgettable clash between It’s A Dundeel and Atlantic Jewel in the race, with the former getting the verdict in a thrilling finish.
While the 2014 edition doesn’t have that class of equine flesh, the hype surrounding it is just as intriguing.
Will The Offer continue on from his superb first up run in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m)? Will Silent Achiever finally show Melbourne how good she is as she heads towards the first Tuesday in November? And what about Stipulate? He looked awfully good here three weeks back. How will he handle the big boys and girls?
There was plenty to like about the first up run of Silent Achiever in the Memsie to Dissident. She got left flat footed when the leaders sprinted on the turn, but picked up late and was very good through in finishing fourth. She will have come on big time from that outing, great record second-up, and Damien Oliver sticks. Record at Caulfield is ordinary, but she hasn’t raced any better than what she is at present.
The Offer got a big tick of approval from his first up effort in the Dato Tan Chin Nam behind The Cleaner at the Valley a couple of weeks back. He really had no right to finish as close as he did considering there was a dynamite on pace bias at the meeting and jockey Tommy Berry had to make his move a fair way from home. He will also take massive improvement heading into this, and although his grand final is on the first Tuesday in November, he’ll take some beating here.
I’m tipping a much improved run from Happy Trails. He was okay first up in the Spring Stakes back home at Morphettville, then went to the Memsie and was another who got left behind when the sprint went on 500 metres out. He quickly came off the bit, but he stuck on late and was good through the line. He can be hard to follow, but you know sooner or later he is going to bob up in one of these races and then fire when it matters. He is a very good horse, so third up here, he should be ready to show something solid.
Stipulate just oozed class in his Australian Bloodstock win over 1700 metres here three weeks, sitting off a good speed before letting down powerfully and winning with ridiculous ease on the line. Second up last time he ran second to Le Roi and that horse went on to run behind It’s A Dundeel in the Queen Elizabeth so the form does read well, and the horse he beat last start, Brambles, won on Saturday at Flemington. He’ll take a power of beating if he can handle the class rise.
Selections
Despite her ordinary Melbourne record, I’ll put Silent Achiever (10) on top, to beat The Offer (4), Happy Trails (1) for some value, then Stipulate (9).
A Caulfield Cup start will be ensured for the winner of the $150,000 Group 3 Jack London Naturalism Stakes (2000m), and that spot will go to Spillway, based on how well he ran last week in the Makybe Diva behind Dissident, making up a stack of ground from the back in a race which wasn’t suited for the backmarkers. His run prior in the P.B. Lawrence was excellent, so up to 2000 metres now, even field, gets in well at the weights.
Bonfire comes to Melbourne after two strong runs up north in Sydney. First up he ran a narrow second to Hoylonny, then went to the Premier’s Cup and ran second to stablemate Greatwood, who then raced last Saturday and got flogged, but I wouldn’t read too much into that, because Bonfire has more upside and is more versatile than Greatwood.
One of the better three-year-old fillies from last season, Zanbagh, has had two runs as a four-year-old mare under the care of Patty Payne and she has been quite good in each, considering they were both over unsuitable distances and at the Valley. 2000 metres at Caulfield should suit and being third up now, she is ready to produce.
Selections
Spillway (1) a special, ahead of Bonfire (5), Zanbagh (9) and Our Voodoo Prince (4), who was much better last time out and is the knockout runner.
The best Victorian sprinting mares will slog it out in the second heat of the Sportingbet Sprint Series (1200m), and I am leaning towards the class factor which is of course Samaready.
She was very good fresh in the Lightning behind Snitzerland, then was disappointing in the Newmarket behind Lankan Rupee before flopping in the William Reid. Recent jumpout here was encouraging, and giving only 4 kilograms to the bottom weight, she just about takes care of these if she is right.
A Time For Julia could not have been ridden better by Nolen first up in the opening heat of this series, but was beaten by a sharper and fitter mare in Gregers. Form has held up there, with Commanding Jewel and Dear Demi both running corkers last Saturday, and I wouldn’t worry about Gregers flopping because that mare isn’t a 1400 metre horse.
The race doesn’t appear to have much early pace apart from stablemate Brilliant Bisc, so perhaps Nolen will fire out and get the drag up behind the more speedy filly. Nonetheless, a very good mare who will prove hard to beat.
Girl Guide was smashed in pre-post betting prior to her first up run at the Valley, and the punters knew what they were doing when she spanked her rivals and won with plenty in reserve. She deserves a crack at this level, and we know where she will be – out of trouble on the speed. Weight scale doesn’t suit her, but she is tough and in form.
Selections
Samaready (1) the class and one to beat, ahead of A Time For Julia (4) and Girl Guide (13). For value in exotics, include Politeness (6), who will be steaming home late.
Punters can start the afternoon on the right note thanks to Zeletto, who goes around in the first race. He just absolutely toyed with them off a freshen up a couple of weeks back at Sportingbet Park, sitting wide with no cover yet went straight past them close to home like a good horse and ran impressive time. He smashed Zebulon by five lengths on debut then ran a narrow second to Royal Snitzel here. Just looks the winner on that alone.
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