3 minute read
We are set for one of the Melbourne Spring Carnival's biggest races when a capacity field of local and international stayers contests the 2024 Caulfield Cup on Saturday afternoon.
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
One by some of the best horses ever to grace the turf throughout its storied existence, the Caulfield Cup has attracted a wide-open field in 2024 and with a case to be made for most of them, it's shaping as a memorable betting race.
You can find my selections for the feature and all of the other races on 2024 Caulfield Cup Day below.
Race 1 - 12:15pm: Lamaro's Hotel Plate (1400m)
Sugar Coat has hardly put a hoof wrong since debuting and looms as the one to beat in the first on Caulfield Cup Day.
The Exceedance gelding won on debut at Pakenham and franked that performance with a dominant one in BM64 company at Seymour.
Having only just missed at Sandown last time out, he steps out in peak order and can fight out the finish again.
1 Unit Sugar Coat
Race 2 - 12:50pm: Listed Gothic Stakes (1200m)
This is an excellent edition of the Gothic Stakes with plenty of very promising three-year-olds engaged including Reserve Bank.
Reserve Bank debuted with a fine performance to win at Bendigo back in June, and picked up where he left off with another dominant win out at Ballarat last month.
He was last seen finishing a nose second behind First Settler at Flemington and with further improvement, something like this looks well within his grasp.
3 Units Reserve Bank
Race 3 - 1:25pm: Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m)
Keeneland is chasing a hat-trick when he takes his place in the Caulfield Classic.
The Almanzor gelding has improved with each of four runs since debuting, breaking his maiden with complete ease over a mile at Benalla two back before repeating the dose in the Super Impose at Flemington last time out.
Trainers Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young won this race last year and I am confident they can again with this gelding.
4 Units Keeneland
Race 4 - 2pm: Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m)
Hurry Curry is a progressive filly, and the Ethereal Stakes looks a lovely race for her.
Having finished midfield at Moe on debut back in August, the Ocean Park filly has since broken her maiden and made a successful transition to metro company with an eye-catching performance and win in the Kennedy Oaks Trial at Flemington last time.
Getting out to the 2000m looks ideal, she's got plenty of upside and she's drawn to receive a nice run in transit.
2 Units Hurry Curry
Race 5 - 2:35pm: Listed Alinghi Stakes (1100m)
Isthmus has returned to the races in career-best form and looks tough to beat in the Alinghi Stakes.
The I Am Invincible mare powered away from them to record an easy win in BM74 company at Sandown last time out, while she was similarly eye-catching in Saturday company at Flemington last time out.
This is a harder race, but she's another that is open to further improvement and the task certainly doesn't appear beyond her.
2 Units Isthmus
Race 6 - 3:10pm: Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m)
Tasmanian raider Geegees Mistruth has been excellent on the mainland and the Thousand Guineas Prelude is a lovely race for her.
Having dominated in the Apple Isle during her debut prep and winning four from four.
The Wordsmith filly arrived in Melbourne to finish a half-length second behind Drifting in the Quezette Stakes, while she was only denied by Bellatrix Stakes in the Group 3 Champagne at The Valley last time out, how has since franked the form by winning again.
Ben Melham sticks and getting out to 1400m at this point of her prep looks ideal.
4 Units Geegees Mistruth
Race 7 - 3:45pm: Group 2 Millennium Sprint (1000m)
This is easily the weakest task that Estriella has been set this time and I am happy to give her another chance in this year's Caulfield (Millennium) Sprint.
The Group 1 winner was reportedly flying ahead of her return in the Moir Stakes last month, and she was decent enough through the line to finish fourth behind Mornington Glory.
Improvement was expected in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes last time out, but she ultimately finished seventh behind some genuine stars.
Fitter third-up, she can go forward from the rails draw this week and make all of her own luck.
3 Units Estriella
Race 8 - 4:30pm: Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m)
Skybird is third-up and is the one for me in this year's Tristarc Stakes.
The Exosphere mare has picked off some lovelt races through just nine career starts, and she hit the line for finish second behind a fit Arkansaw Kid in the Bobbie Lewis first-up this time before running a head third in the Blazer Stakes last time out.
Fitter, from an inside alley and under regular ride Beau Mertens, this is her perfect race in my opinion.
4 Units Skybird
Race 9 - 5:15pm: Group 1 Caufield Cup (2400m)
It's a typically open edition of the Caulfield Cup with a case to be made for nearly all of the capacity field of 18 and emergencies, and I am going to have a couple of bets.
Warmonger ended his three-year-old season with arguably the performance of the year so far: a ten-length romp in the Queensland Derby, while there was a lot to like about the work he was going late in the Group 1 Makybe Diva first-up this time.
It is fair to say that his second-up run in the Turnbull Stakes was far from his best, but he is a horse that has typically found his best form with a couple of runs under his belt, and he gets out to pet conditions this weekend.
The other that appeals at odds for me is the Japanese raider, Warp Speed.
Warp Speed has turned in some big performances in some of Japan's, and indeed the world's best staying races, he has found form this year around the dominant T O Royal.
With one eye on the Melbourne Cup, I have little doubt he'll improve for whatever he does here, but at Caulfield Cup odds of $21 (at publish), he's worth something on each way.
2 Units E/W Warmonger
1 Unit E/W Warp Speed
Race 10 - 5:50pm: Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m)
Pinstriped can bounce back into winning form in the Moonga Stakes.
He always hinted at Group 1 ability, and after finishing second in the PB Lawrence first-up this time, the Street Boss gelding beat home an all-star cast including Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni to claim his maiden win at the highest level in August's Memsie Stakes.
Nothing went right in the Makybe Diva last time out, but I like that he's a month between runs, back to the 1400m, and I think he's got a lot of these covered for class.
2 Units Pinstriped
