Aidan O’Brien confident Johannes Vermeer can overcome inside draw and big field in Caulfield Cup

MASTER trainer Aidan O’Brien says Johannes Vermeer has all the attributes needed to win the Caulfield Cup — and to deliver the Irishman a world record.

Caulfield Cup favourite Johannes Vermeer. Picture: Getty Images

MASTER trainer Aidan O’Brien says Johannes Vermeer has all the attributes needed to win the Caulfield Cup — and to deliver the Irishman a world record.

If the Cup favourite triumphs on Saturday, he will present O’Brien with his 25th Group 1 this year, matching US trainer Bobby Frankel’s 2003 feat.

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Speaking from the UK, O’Brien said Johannes Vermeer had the versatility to take advantage of barrier two.

“He’s a quick breaker, he’s usually settles well and he usually quickens well,” O’Brien said. “You need a horse with tactical pace who then relaxes and then can really quicken.

“I suppose it all adds up to you really need a good colt. He is pacy, a flat track should suit him. The lads are very happy with him.”

O’Brien told Sky Sports radio he was delighted with Johannes Vermeer’s slashing Caulfield Cup second. “He settled well and quickened very well so we were delighted with his run,” he said.

Johannes Vermeer ran second in the Caulfield Stakes last Saturday. Picture: AAP

O’Brien’s team has dismissed fears Johannes Vermeer will be intimidated by the hustle and bustle of Saturday’s 2400m test he faces the largest field of his short career.

Johannes Vermeer will face 16 rivals in what is traditionally a torrid Group 1, having never previously raced in a field larger than 11.

Asked if the multiple Group winner would be spooked in a cluttered field, O’Brien’s assistant TJ Comerford said: “Not at all because he’s actually quick away from the barrier.

“You saw how quick away he was the other day (in the Caulfield Stakes). He can just slot in wherever he wants after that.”

To be ridden by Ben Melham, Johannes Vermeer has drawn barrier two.

Only two winners in the past 21 years have jumped from that gate — Arctic Scent in 1996 and Tawqeet in 2006.

Caulfield Cup (2400m)

Horse (barrier)	Trainer	Jockey	Weight
1. Humidor (7)	Darren Weir	Damian Lane	56kg
2. Marmelo (10)	Hughie Morrison	Hugh Bowman	55kg
3. Johannes Vermeer (2)	Aidan O’Brien	Ben Melham	54.5kg
4. Jon Snow (6)	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	Stephen Baster	54.5kg
5. He's Our Rokkii (15)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Luke Nolen	54kg
6. Sir Isaac Newton (17)	Robert Hickmott	Ms Katelyn Mallyon	54kg
7. Ventura Storm (4)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Damien Oliver	54kg
8. Wicklow Brave (16)	William Mullins	Joao Moreira	54kg
9. Inference (9)	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Dwayne Dunn	53.5kg
10. Single Gaze (12)	Nick Olive	Ms Kathy O'Hara	53kg
11. Bonneval (14)	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	Kerrin McEvoy	52.5kg
12. Hardham (8)	David Brideoake	Craig Newitt	52.5kg
13. Boom Time (3)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig		52kg
14. Abbey Marie (5)	Michael Kent	Beau Mertens (a)	51.5kg
15. Harlem (1)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Chad Schofield	51.5kg
16. Amelie's Star (13)	Darren Weir	Craig Williams	51kg
17. Lord Fandango (9)	Archie Alexander	Ben Allen (a)	50kg

Five of the past eight winners have emerged from double-digit alleys.

Johannes Vermeer and The Taj Mahal strode on the fibretrack at Werribee as the Obrien camp confirmed it has not abandoned Cox Plate ambitions with The Taj Mahal despite the import’s dismal Australian debut.

Notoriously lazy, The Taj Mahal finished 10th — beaten eight lengths — behind Gailo Chop in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.

But Comerford has not lost faith.

“(The) Taj Majal just ends up being a bit lazy,” he said. “He probably needed that just to wake him up because he is a good horse and there’s better to come from (The) Taj Mahal.

“I don’t doubt that he’ll improve. I think the Cox Plate is a big option for him because we can change a few things around with him for next time. I have to see what Aidan and what (owner) Lloyd (Williams) thinks but I do think that would be an option.”

Comerford indicated reapplying blinkers could be the trigger for a sharp lift.

The Taj Mahal wore the gear when second in the Group 1 Secretariat Stakes in August.

“We might try blinkers on him next time because when he ran at Belmont he had blinkers on,” Comerford said. “We didn’t put them on in Leopardstown and it looked like he ran OK in Leopardstown but I think we might have to revert to putting blinkers on again.”

The Secretariat Stakes has been a key race for O’Brien over the past three years.

Adelaide claimed the 2014 edition before posting a remarkable Cox Plate victory.

Highland Reel also won at Belmont before finishing third to Winx in the super mare’s first Cox Plate triumph.

McEvoy’s bright forecast for Bonneval

Glenn McFarlane

KERRIN McEvoy says leading Caulfield Cup contender Bonneval appears “bright and well” before her last scheduled gallop on Thursday morning.

The Kiwi mare was favourite for the $3.15 million race before her luckless sixth in the Caulfield Stakes amid speculation she had suffered an injury in the process.

Trainer Murray Baker said at the barrier draw on Tuesday night the horse was fine and insisted she hadn’t had a problem.

McEvoy went out to Flemington this morning before his big book of rides at Caulfield to get another feel of the mare, but will get her a more searching final gallop on Thursday.

“She is bright and well,” McEvoy said after winning on Sin To Win in the first race at Caulfield.

Had a sit on Bonneval this morning at Flemington,she is moving well and is nice and bright ,final piece of fast work tmrw morn#CaulfieldCup

— Kerrin McEvoy (@KPMcEvoy) October 17, 2017