Caulfield Cup vet checks: Deny Knowledge faces third test, Positivity scratched, Young Werther passed fit

Vets will re-inspect a Caulfield Cup contender on race morning, while another runner was scratched and three others were passed fit.

Caulfield Cup contender Deny Knowledge must undergo a third and final vet inspection on Saturday morning to gain clearance to start in the $5m Group 1.

Racing Victoria vets completed pre-race inspections on Friday with the Noboru Takagi-trained Warp Speed and Ciaron Maher-trained Sayedaty Sadaty passed suitable to race.

The Danny O’Brien-trained Young Werther was re-inspected on Friday and cleared to race with a change in the horse’s gait detected by vets on Thursday no longer an issue.

Reigning Caulfield Cup winners Anthony and Sam Freedman were not as lucky with Deny Knowledge still unable to be cleared on Friday.

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RV vets will inspect the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes winner on Saturday before the 7.30am scratching time to determine the mare’s suitability to race.

Freedman endured a similar rollercoaster last year as eventual winner Without A Fight required multiple trot ups before RV vets to take his place in the Caulfield Cup field.

Trainer Andrew Forsman on Friday scratched Positivity from the Caulfield Cup.

The withdrawal has allowed Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Fancy Man to sneak into the field with Ron Stewart aboard.

Meanwhile, Caulfield was downgraded from a Good 4 to Soft 6 on Friday after 24mm of rain to 4.30pm.

Track manager Sam Bennetts said a “genuine” soft track would be presented on Saturday – somewhere in the Soft 6 or 7 range, depending on rain overnight and in the morning.

“Our track drains remarkable well and it just needs time to drain,” Bennetts said.

“I think we’ll be on an improving track as long as it’s not raining.”

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There is a small chance of rain on Saturday but well before the first race.

“We’ll see what the weather gods have in store for us but the BOM recommendation is the bulk of the rain has been and passed us, hopefully with any luck,” Bennetts said.

“To be fair, the worst thing that could’ve happened for us was not enough rain and we’d be umming and ahhing this afternoon whether to put water on it.

“By 10am or 11am that was taken out of our hands… we watched it rain, watched the sun come out, watched it rain, watched the sun come out, it has been a bit of a topsy-turvy day.”

Favourite Buckaroo remains best backed with Ladbrokes at $4.20 from Eliyass ($6.50) and Zardozi ($9).

Land Legend ($7.50) and Warmonger ($12) are also popular with punters.

Originally published as Caulfield Cup vet checks: Deny Knowledge faces third test, Positivity scratched, Young Werther passed fit