Gr 1 – Caulfield Cup

World-class stayer on his day and is ready. Big weight is a worry but this is his pet trip. Certainty beaten carrying 58.5kg last start in the Gr 1 Metrop over 2400m behind Royal Supremecy who carried 8.5kg less. Gets to slot in about midfield and is very fit. Huge threat.

Dour Gr 1 level stayer from France and right there those stats make him a chance. They may go a bit quick for him in this but he loves the sting out of the ground and he can run all day. Drawn to receive an economical run and should be in your numbers. If he finishes top 4, have a Melbourne Cup wager on him.

Unpredictable at the start, but if he jumps he rates a show. Is very smart this trip and after 3 runs this time in, past 2 at WFA, he must be considered. Beaten 4 lengths in the Gr 1 Turnbull over 2000m in handy time behind Sir Delius last start. Has claims.

Handy Gr 2 level stayer from England. Past 2 starts in Gr 3 races over this trip in England have resulted in placings. Will find the speed here hard to deal with but he can stay and will be plugging away at the end.

Drawn the fence and may get locked up behind pace and caught in traffic. If not, he can run on into a place. Is here for the Melbourne Cup as he can stay all day. Has won over 4000m and has won with 75kg in the saddle. Handles all types of ground and is a true iron horse. Can he sprint with these at the end though? Well, he has a light weight compared to what he usually lumps in races in Europe, so has to be in your numbers.

Badly drawn, so probably drops to the rear early. Is ready to fire up, though. He is a Gr 1 winner and loves this trip. Beaten just 4 lengths at WFA behind Sir Delius in the Gr 1 here over 1800m Underwood and again beaten by the same horse by 7 lengths last start in the Turnbull. Draw is the worry here though.

Top-class staying mare who is being prepared to win the Melbourne Cup. So, this looms as a nice stepping stone. Has the right weight and form is useful enough. Beaten 4 lengths by Sir Delius at WFA over 1800, then got too far back, was last at one stage, when plodding 11th to the same horse in the 2000m Gr 1 Turnbull. Was beaten 5 lengths. Those runs don’t indicate what she can do. If it’s wet, she will win.

May make the pace, but I hope he doesn’t. From this gate he can sit about 4th and slot in. Has enormous staying talent on his day and handicap conditions suit. Top run when beaten a nose by Birdman 2 starts back then at WFA ran an even race on speed behind Sir Delius. Big show.

From this gate and with this weight, he probably drives to the front early. Is handy this trip and last year we saw this race won by an on speed runner. Will be big odds because he may not have the finishing sprint of a few of these but if track is biased towards leaders, he has a rough place shot.

Big threat. Can stay at a high level and with this weight from this gate he drives forward and probably lobs into the one, one coveted spot early. Is 4th up here and is a multiple stakes winner this journey. Looms like a definite one to have in your numbers. Beaten just under 3 lengths at WFA last start behind Sir Delius.

Good handicap mare from Japan. Won last start at Sapporo in a 2600m open handicap by 2 lengths in good time. Big step up here to Gr 1 level, but these Japanese horses can all stay. Has failed to run a place in Japan at her past 2 goes at Gr 2 level.

Seems the forgotten horse here after failing with big weight last start in that extremely fast run Gr 3 Bart Cummings over 2520m behind Valiant King. Drops 5.5kg for this and did look the goods winning the Gr 3 Archer over 2500m at previous run. Knows how to win a race.

Expect improvement on recent poor efforts. Waller horses can do that. European form this trip was very good. Was 3rd earlier this year in the 3200m Gr 1 Sydney Cup, so place show.

Ran good time for 2000m to win the Gr 3 Kingston Town at Randwick beating Adelaide River with 55kg. Then got a mile back in the Gr 1 Metrop, made a long sustained run that looked like winning the race, but died on that effort with 100m to go finishing 2.6 lengths away. Is well weighted and very fit. And is pretty smart. Place show.

Looks the winner to me. There is a beautiful sense of timing about him for this. Carried 54.5 to easily win in a strong time, the Gr 3 Naturalism over 2000m, then ran on strongly from the back when 4th to the brilliant Sir Delius over 2000m in the Gr 1 Turnbull. Has won this trip. And has won at this track. Has drawn perfectly, carries no weight, and I’m getting on for a stack.

Carried light weight and stormed down the centre of the track to impressively win the Gr 1 Metrop this trip last start. Is extremely consistent and very honest. Drawn to receive a dream run and will be in this finish.

Fifteen minutes before they jumped he was $101 to win the Gr 3 Bart Cummings. Some money came for him but no one surely could have predicted what he ended up doing to win that race. Carried 55kg that day and simply put – if he repeats that, he will win this. But, he is inconsistent.

Light weight hope because he can stay, is in form and will be on speed. Against him is the fact he isn’t quite as seasoned as a few of these, but the above give him a rough place shot.