The first of the spring majors has arrived and the Caulfield Cup never fails to disappoint. In preparation for today’s $2.5million race, here is part two of your guide to each individual runner in the field.
11. My Quest For Peace
This import has done absolutely nothing for Peter Moody since running fifth in this race last year. However, there is plenty of interest around him because Moody has been training My Quest For Peace with a completely different model than the rest of his stable.
This horse is essentially Moody’s trial and error horse and that is not necessarily a bad thing because Moody has not had much luck with stayers.
By Galileo, he’s now out to a suitable distance and his best is capable of winning this but he hasn’t been remotely near it based on his last couple of runs.
Corey Brown flies in from Singapore for the ride so someone out there gives him a chance.
12. Hawkspur
The favourite for the race has been given no favours having drawn barrier 16. His two key runs this preparation have been the George Main Stakes and Turnbull Stakes.
He jumped as the favourite in the George Main and was taken straight to the back. As a stayer against a field of milers, Jim Cassidy gave him a bit too much distance to make up as they entered the straight. Still, Hawkspur wound up gamely finishing fourth but the distance was too short.
He then came down to Melbourne for the Turnbull and was surprisingly taken straight to the back once again.
It’s hard to make too much of his run in the Turnbull because it was an incredibly messy race because plenty of horses were checked, baulked for runs, off heels or cramped for room.
All of the above happened to Hawkspur who had to shift into the rail to get a run and made excellent ground to finish fifth.
He probably had the run of the race and would have won comfortably if he didn’t run into the traffic he did.
The gate probably doesn’t affect his chances as much as it would others because he is one that can win this from the back.
He is the justified favourite and as a Derby winner he’ll lap this up and be the one to beat with sectional times to back it up.
Victory here would be Jimmy Cassidy’s 100th Group 1.
13. Julienas
He was very unlucky in the Metropolitan to be beaten by Masked Marvel but it was an excellent run nonetheless.
He’ll appreciate not having to carry 59 kg which is what he’s been asked to do all season with the campaign Gai Waterhouse had mapped out for him. We know he stays all day but he hasn’t shown the turn of foot which we saw him produce last year.
He’s one of the tougher horses in this race and will be hoping for a fast run race because of they go too slow early, he doesn’t have the motor to match it with others here.
14. Mr O’Ceirin
Gained ballot-exempt status when he won the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes here a month ago but was more due to a great ride by Glen Boss than this horse’s ability.
The race was run at a farcical tempo and Bossy was able to dictate terms all the way home.
The form out of that race has also been terrible. Running second in that race was Kesampour who laboured home in the Herbert Power Stakes and running third in that race was Bit Of Hell who struggled in the Cranbourne Cup.
If this horse had any semblance of a winning chance, Bossy would not have been so quick to jump off it.
15. Silent Achiever
The Kiwi has been very well supported since the markets opened on Tuesday and justifiable so. She comes in off a pair running sixth placings in the Underwood Stakes and the Turnbull Stakes.
Her run in the Turnbull was deceptively good because she was one of the widest runners and lost her balance for a moment when Fiorente pressured her.
Regardless, she still ran on well enough to prove she is fit enough to threaten here.
In autumn, we saw her run a fantastic race in the The BMW where she finished an unlucky second which was her best performance in Australia to date.
On top of that, she is by O’Rielly so there is no doubt she can cover the distance.
He comes in incredibly well at the weights here and has Glen Boss onboard and is one of the top hopes.
16. Royal Descent
She produced a beautiful run in the Tramway Stakes where the finished second over what was an unsuitable distance and was expected to improve the further out she got.
She too next went to the Turnbull where she finished 11th but was still only four lengths behind the win.
She was severely cramped for room and is one which cannot run under pressure around her. She does her best work when she gets out into the open and will have that chance here at Caulfield with the big field.
Caulfield Cups traditionally do not bunch in the way the Turnbull did so she will have her chance to get out and storm down the centre of the track which is how the race is won just about every year. Barrier 3 is not ideal for her because her biggest danger will be getting stuck on the rail.
If she can find settle cleanly and get off the rail by the 800m mark, she has the turn of foot capable of obliterating this field.
17. Tuscan Fire
He is extremely fortunate to be in the final field courtesy of his Mornington Cup win at the start of the year which gave him ballot-exempt status for this race.
He took on Australia’s best in the Turnbull Stakes and to say he struggled would be an understatement. He finished eight lengths behind the winner and was spent after 1600m.
He needs an additional 20kg weight allowance to figure in the places here. It wouldn’t surprise me to hear that connections kept him in the race just for the free tickets that came with a start.
18. Dear Demi
The VRC Oaks winner put in a fantastic first-up run in the Underwood Stakes where she ran third behind Atlantic Jewel when she was given a plum ride.
She then went to the Turnbull Stakes where she once again proved she was capable among a very strong field and ran well enough to finish eighth. We’ve seen her run over this 2400m on several occasions now and it’s where she has looked best.
She steps well down in class compared to what she has faced, is quite fresh and has to be one of the better roughies in this race.
19. Forgotten Voice
The Irish raider needs a scratching to make the final field but shouldn’t be completely ruled out. The Danehill Dancer gelding has quite a few things going against him though because nine year olds have a shocking record in this race.
We often see the Irish stayers come down to Australia late in their careers after they have given up the flat racing at home and taken a crack at the jumps which is exactly what Forgotten Voice has done.
He beat Lost In The Moment in his last start but it still isn’t enough to warrant being tipped.
Alfred Chan’s Tips
1. Royal Descent
2. Silent Achiever
3. Dear Demi
4. Hawkspur
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