Caulfield tips: Aft Cabin the best bet of Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes meeting at Caulfield
Getting back up to 1400m will be all Aft Cabin needs to return to winning ways while a $21 shot is the best roughie of the day at Caulfield on Saturday.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
News Corp form analyst Brad Waters takes an early look at Saturday’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes meeting at Caulfield.
BEST BET
AFT CABIN (Race 4, No.2)
Far from disgraced when back in trip in the McNeil Stakes and the step back up to 1400m will help the colt bounce back to winning ways.
VALUE BET
LAVISH GIRL (Race 8, No.1)
Lavish Girl is a first-up winner and a Group 2 winner at Caulfield but her trial at Cranbourne showed she has come back bigger and better.
EARLY QUADDIE
2, 4, 6, 8/1, 2, 5, 7, 9/2, 7/1, 6, 7, 10
$100 flexi for 62.5 per cent
BIG6
2, 7/1, 6, 7, 10/1, 2, 4, 9/3, 8, 10, 18/1, 3, 4, 5/1, 4, 11
$100 flexi for 6.51 per cent
QUADDIE
Race 6: 1, 2, 4, 9
Race 7: 3, 8, 10, 18
Race 8: 1, 3, 4, 5
Race 9: 1, 4, 11
$100 flexi for 52 per cent
FINAL DAYS! UNLOCK EVERYTHING ON RACENET FOR ONLY $1!
RACE 1: SMITH FOUNDATION FOR NJT HANDICAP (2000m)
Showers are predicted in the lead-up to Saturday’s meeting but expecting Caulfield to be a soft (5) or soft (6) at worst. PROTECTION MONEY (9) can get punters off to a good start after three solid runs back from a long spell, including in a similar assignment last time out. FENGARADA (3) is racing in super form and should be competitive despite stepping up a few grades. GONE WEST (11) is worth popping in multiples after a solid first-up effort at Sandown form which he will be improved. GLOBAL GIFT (1) steps up to 2000m for the first time but is racing well.
SUGGESTED BET: Protection Money each-way.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Pres De Toi $9 – $7.50
RACE 2: LAMARO’S FOR EQUINE PATHWAYS PLATE (1000m)
Should be good speed on in this 1000m contest but happy to back XTRAVAGANT STAR (6) to post a first-up win. Her first two runs last time in produced excellent wins before she struggled on a bog track in Sydney. She’s had more time to develop and should go well. PORT ALBERT (4) ran on well in a Listed race on debut at Caulfield last time in and is worth thought first-up here. RENOSU (2) broke his maiden at Hawkesbury last start but had been competitive in good races last season. KIN (8) also broke her maiden last time out but raced well in Melbourne as a two-year-old.
SUGGESTED BET: Xtravagant Star to win.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Xtravagant Star $3.50 – $3.20.
RACE 3: 4CYTE FOR LIVING LEGENDS HANDICAP (1400m)
A quicker than average speed is likely for this mares’ race, which could suit ZIMOWY (7). She was a fighting winner at Flemington two runs back but found trouble when running on last time. She’ll be harder to beat with a clear run. ADELE AMOUR (9) is a first-up winner and is unbeaten at 1400m. She also trialled well behind Ayrton at Cranbourne. PRIDE OF JENNI (5) was OK behind Chain Of Lightning first-up but drops in class and has drawn well. CYCLONE SALLY (1) will push forward and give them something to chase.
SUGGESTED BET: Zimowy each-way.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Zouzarella $10 – $9.50.
RACE 4: GROUP 3 CAULFIELD GUINEAS PRELUDE (1400m)
Happy to back AFT CABIN (2) to return to winning form after a strong second to the classy Jacquinot in the McNeil Stakes. He dropped back to 1200m from 1400m that day but he scored brilliantly at Sandown at his last 1400m run. AMENABLE (7) was unlucky not to finish closer at The Valley first-up and will be fitter. OSIPENKO (1) showed good form in Sydney last time in and should measure up to this. MERIDIUS (4) ran on hard when narrowly beaten at The Valley fresh and will be prominent here.
SUGGESTED BET: Aft Cabin to win.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Aft Cabin $2.80 – $2.40
RACE 5: GROUP 2 THOUSAND GUINEAS PRELUDE (1400m)
Nothing went the way of PROSCENIUM ARCH (10) at The Valley when made to work in front before she was only grabbed on the line. However, she should get a much softer run here and blinkers on will help her. MUMBAI JEWEL (7) had no luck at The Valley second-up and she can improve sharply with Mark Zahra in the saddle. MISS HELLFIRE (6) raced handy and tried hard in Sydney second-up but went well in a good form race fresh. Kiwi filly SHE’S LICKETYSPLIT (1) did a lot wrong when scoring in NZ first-up but will have come on a lot for that run.
SUGGESTED BET: Proscenium Arch each-way.
TAB MARKET MOVER: She’s Licketysplit $7 – $5.
FINAL DAYS! UNLOCK EVERYTHING ON RACENET FOR ONLY $1!
RACE 6: GROUP 3 MRC FOUNDATION CUP (2000m)
The winner of this race is guaranteed a Caulfield Cup start so it’s no surprise it has attracted such a big and even field. MIDNIGHT BLUE (9) is ready to fire after two solid efforts to start his Melbourne campaign while dropping 4kg on his last run will suit him. GOLD TRIP (1) is the class runner of the field and will be hard to hold out if connections decide to run him at Caulfield. EARLSWOOD (2) led and struggled behind Mr Brightside first-up but will be fitter and is a Caulfield winner. SHERAZ (4) finished well for a first-up second last time and any rise in trip will suit him.
SUGGESTED BET: Midnight Blue each-way.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Gold Trip $7 – $5
RACE 7: GROUP 1 SIR RUPERT CLARKE STAKES (1400m)
Tough edition of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes but having something each-way on SINAWANN (3) after his good first-up effort when giving 6kg to the smart Uncommon James last time out and his second-up record is excellent. AYRTON (8) should get every from barrier four and is a great hope to notch his maiden Group 1 win. I WISH I WIN (18) needs a couple of scratchings to get a start but will be hard to be beat if he makes the field. SHOWMANSHIP (10) has an outstanding winning strike rate and is unbeaten over 1400m.
SUGGESTED BET: Sinawann each-way.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Tuvalu $7.50 – $6.
RACE 8: GROUP 3 HOW NOW STAKES (1200m)
Harder race than it looks on paper but LAVISH GIRL (1) might provide a bit of value for punters. She’s a first-up winner that got better with race experience last time in and her trial at Cranbourne was terrific. CHAIN OF LIGHTNING (4) will be the hardest to beat after handling the rise in class in the Cockram Stakes. ARGENTIA (3) won over the Caulfield 1200m course first-up last time in and has the quality to threaten here. WRITTEN BEAUTY (5) races well first-up and her Sydney trials have been good.
SUGGESTED BET: Lavish Girl with a saver on Chain Of Lightning.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Veranskova $11 – $6.50.
RACE 9: HENLY HOMES FOR RPC HANDICAP (1100m)
CURRAN (11) could be the answer to the tricky problem of finding a winner in the last. He had a chequered passage when not far away at his first run for six weeks last start. He’ll be fitter and will carry only 52.5kg after apprentice Matthew Cartwright’s claim. SERADESS (4) unlocked her potential in two Adelaide stakes wins last time out and could go on with it. IN THE BOAT (1) led and weakened first-up but will be much fitter for that. INGRATIATING (2) returns from a Queensland campaign and should run well.
SUGGESTED BET: Curran each-way.
TAB MARKET MOVER: Seradess $7 – $5.50.
$1.4m colt prevails as $3m stablemate falls short again
It was a mixed day for a pair of Chris Waller high-priced yearlings at Canterbury with $1.4m colt Central Coast coming out on top before $3m filly Ernaux went under.
Uncommon James on spring mission after passing ‘make or break’ prep
Queenslander Uncommon James has shown he still has the talent and the desire to be a racehorse and will be deployed in the Melbourne spring for a couple of Group 1 goals.