Strong winds to impact Blue Diamond meeting at Caulfield

The wind will play havoc with the Caulfield meeting on Saturday as top jockey Craig Newitt provides some advice for punters.

The prevailing winds will play as much a part as the turf in rich races such as Saturday’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast northerly winds ranging between 35 and 40kmh for the rich meeting, which will blow into the horses’ faces down the railway side of the course.

Runners in the Blue Diamond Stakes and Oakleigh Plate will be punching into the breeze from the moment they leave the gates, making life difficult for the leaders.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Jockey Craig Newitt, who has won two Oakleigh Plates and two Blue Diamond Stakes, said the prevailing winds played a big part in the pattern of a day’s racing at Caulfield.

“It’s amazing that wind and how much of a bearing it has,” Newitt said.

“When it blows one way, you can’t win from the front because you need to be in cover and if it blows the other way, it’s religiously on-speed, which is unfortunate but that’s the way it is.”

Newitt said the winds had not always been as significant but they became a bigger part of races in the last few years.

The increase in the significance of the wind has grown after the removal of buildings as part of the Caulfield Racecourse development and construction in the track’s surrounds.

Hard To Say drops to 52.5kg in Saturday’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s only been in recent times and it’s a big advantage when you’re in front and playing towards that way,” Newitt said.

“It’s very hard to win from wide gates without that cover.”

• Brad Waters’ tips, race-by-race analysis for Caulfield on Saturday

Newitt has drawn barrier seven for his bid for a third Oakleigh Plate aboard the Jason Deamer-trained Hard To Say.

Hard To Say has raced consistently without winning in Sydney and Queensland in his recent runs but Newitt said dropping to 52.5kg would help the sprinter in Saturday’s $750,000 contest.

“It looks a pretty even race and an even spread in the weights,” Newitt said.

“There’s not much between top and the bottom this year so it will depend on luck in running from the barriers.

“His form is probably just below the better ones but he’s never carried a weight this light before.

“It’s crucial that he gets a good run and if he does that, he can be right in the money.”

Originally published as Strong winds to impact Blue Diamond meeting at Caulfield