Caulfield Cup 2018: Where your runner finished; how the race was won; the winning dividends
IF you didn’t back this year’s Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution, but want to know how your horse fared then go no further. Plus how the race was won, jockeys’ comments and those all-important dividends.
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GODOLPHIN has secured its second Caulfield Cup after Best Solution held on in a desperate finish to win the $5 million race.
But if you weren’t on the winning topweight and want to know where your runner finished, we have all the details and more.
CAULFIELD CUP: IS THIS THE BEGINNING FOR RAIDERS?
CUP DAY REWIND: ALL THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED
CAULFIELD CUP FINISHING ORDER
1 BEST SOLUTION
2 HOMESMAN
3 THE CLIFFSOFMOHER
4 DURETTO
5 THE TAJ MAHAL
6 KINGS WILL DREAM
7 YOUNGSTAR
8 GALLIC CHIEFTAIN
9 VENGEUR MASQUE
10 VENTURA STORM
11 RED VERDON
12 SOUND CHECK
13 CHESTNUT COAT
14 SOLE IMPACT
15 ACE HIGH
16 NIGHT’S WATCH
17 MIGHTY BOSS
18 JON SNOW
WHAT THE JOCKEYS SAID
1 BEST SOLUTION
PAT COSGRAVE
“I can’t believe it. I’ve got to give all credit to the horse. He was there to be beaten. Caulfield is just a great place. My two big winners of my career have been here. I’m in dreamland now, it’s just crazy.”
2 HOMESMAN
BEN MELHAM
“He ran really well. Approaching the turn I was able to get out into the running line. He just became a little unbalanced on the corner and he just stepped in on me as we straightened but he picked himself up and he hit the line really well.”
3 THE CLIFFSOFMOHER
HUGH BOWMAN
“I was really pleased with him. The race was run at an awfully slow pace which didn’t suit us but I still got a nice run through and he produced when I wanted him to.”
4 DURETTO
DWAYNE DUNN
“I’m really excited, what a run. He’s had a setback … and to produce that run today was outstanding. He had a beautiful run in transit but will improve with fitness and I’m looking forward to the first Tuesday in November.”
5 THE TAJ MAHAL
JAMES McDONALD
“We ended up in a beautiful spot from the barrier. I was very pleased with the way the first half presented itself but it was one of the slowest Caulfield Cups I’ve ridden in, hence why I made a mid- race move. It proved all right and he stayed on well.”
6 KINGS WILL DREAM
CRAIG WILLIAMS
“He began OK but his next stride he took he actually blundered and we nearly fell over. Then they went really slow and unfortunately he got shuffled back leading into the bend and they had an unassailable lead on us.”
7 YOUNGSTAR
KERRIN McEVOY
“The tempo made it hard to come from back. She did her best work over the last 400 metres and ran on strongly.”
8 GALLIC CHIEFTAIN
DEAN YENDALL
“He ran super. They went pretty slow which didn’t help the later part of the race but I was able to get off the back of Night’s Watch and he finished off pretty well.”
9 VENGEUR MASQUE
PATRICK MOLONEY
“I thought he ran a good race heading toward the (Melbourne Cup).”
10 VENTURA STORM
REGAN BAYLISS
“It was a very slowly run Cup which didn’t enhance our chances.”
11 RED VERDON
ZAC PURTON
“They just went way too slow and he over-raced.”
12 SOUND CHECK
JORDAN CHILDS
“He ran well. He wanted to pull and did a few things wrong early in the race then got outsprinted down the side.”
13 CHESTNUT COLT
YUGA KAWADA
“He needed this run, he’ll probably be better next start.”
14 SOLE IMPACT
RYUSEI SAKAI
“He jumped well and after that he was comfortable and I had good fortune all the way, but in the last 600 when the other horses came, he didn’t respond.”
15 ACE HIGH
DAMIEN OLIVER
“He was disappointing. Get him to the big track at Flemington and a dry surface and hopefully he can improve.”
16 NIGHT’S WATCH
BEN ALLEN
“I was happy where we were but they picked up the gallop from the half-mile and left me flat-footed.”
17 MIGHTY BOSS
TIM CLARK
“He’s been out of form and didn’t find it today.”
18 JON SNOW
DAMIAN LANE
“I didn’t have a great run during the race but he was a beaten horse fairly early.”
HOW THE RACE WAS WON
START
Kings Will Dream (barrier 6) is slow to begin, then knuckles. Best Solution (16) also a little slow.
AFTER 200m
Line of six in the lead, from DURETTO on the inside, then GALLIC CHIEFTAIN, THE CLIFFSOFMOHER, HOMESMAN, VENGEUR MASQUE and ACE HIGH. BEST SOLUTION is out wide and last.
WINNING POST (first time)
ACE HIGH on the outside of HOMESMAN has worked across to lead. VENGEUR MASQUE in 3rd placing with SOLE IMPACT fourth. DURETTO is fifth on the fence. THE CLIFFSOFMOHER is sixth. BEST SOLUTION is still wide, in 11th place.
1800m
ACE HIGH leads clearly from SOLE IMPACT, with HOMESMAN third and VENGEUR MASQUE fourth. BEST SOLUTION has got to fifth three wide.
1400-800m
BEST SOLUTION has slotted in fourth, with cover, one off the fence.
800m
James McDonald takes the initiative, encircling the field on THE TAJ MAHAL. He dashes up to second on the outside of ACE HIGH. BEST SOLUTION is also on the move into third placing.
500m
ACE HIGH drops out as the race is on in earnest. THE TAJ MAHAL tries to sprint clear but BEST SOLUTION is going with him. HOMESMAN responds to hard riding into third.
400m
BEST SOLUTION has shrugged off THE TAJ MAHAL and set up a two-length break. HOMESMAN is coming home along with DURETTO in fourth and THE CLIFFSOFMOHER in fifth.
250m
BEST SOLUTION has gone for home. HOMESMAN is coming hard and THE CLIFFSOFMOHER is running on strongly. THE TAJ MAHAL is fighting on.
FINISHING LINE
BEST SOLUTION holds on to win from a fast-finishing HOMESMAN.
THE BETTING
Best Solution, for Saeed Bin Suroor, was fifth best-supported runner in the race with Youngstar ($6-$7), Kings Will Dream ($5-$5.50), Ace High ($11-$18) and The Cliffsofmoher ($7-$6.50) the only runners to hold more.
The best move in the race came for Homesman ($14-$11) which narrowly failed, while Thecliffsofmoher finished off nicely for third.
BETS: Best Solution $1000 @ $15 (taken Friday), $1500 @ $12, $1000 @ $12 $1633 @ $11, $1000 @ $11 MULTIPLE TIMES
BETS: Homesman $3000 @ $13
BETS: The Cliffsofmoher $10,000 x $5000 e/w @ $7.50/$2.70, $3000 @ $7
BETS: Night’s Watch $5000 @ $9
BETS: Kings Will Dream $3000 @ $5.50, $5250 @ $5
BETS: Youngstar $3500 @ $7, $4000 @ $6
THE DIVIDENDS
1 Best Solution $12.70 $4.30
13 Homesman $3.60
2 The Cliffsofmoher $2.40
Quinella: $59.50.
Exacta: $131.20
Trifecta: $895.90
First 4: (1 13 2 8) $13,976
Scratchings: 19,20.
HORSES TO FOLLOW
BEST SOLUTION 1st Caulfield Cup
That’s four wins in a row, including three Group 1 wins in a row. He must be one of the best stayers in the world. He had to cover ground and only five horses ran further than him. Why wouldn’t he be a great chance in the Melbourne Cup?
THE CLIFFSOFMOHER 3rd Caulfield Cup
A good Melbourne Cup trial. He would have been better suited by a faster run race but still finished off nicely from midfield.
YOUNGSTAR 7th Caulfield Cup
Never in the race and was still a mile back with 400m to go. Produced the fastest last 200m coming home in 12.05sec.
GALLIC CHIEFTAIN 8th Caulfield Cup
He’s heading towards the Melbourne Cup and Dean Yendall gave him a big tick saying he wasn’t suited by the slow speed. A nice staying race awaits at a level below the big two miler.
VERRY ELLEEGANT 1st Ethereal Stakes
She’s gangly, she’s still learning to race but she’s a staying star in the makings. Despite racing like a giraffe for the first half of the race she still managed to win comfortably. Onwards to the Oaks.
COLLECTABLE 4th Ethereal Stakes
Settled last but just kept coming to finish fourth. Looks like she’ll run out the 2400m of the VRC Oaks strongly.
THINKIN’ BIG 1st Caulfield Classic
Controlled the tempo and the speed from the lead but still kicked away for an easy win. He’s bred to run out the Derby distance — his great grandsire is Nothin’ Leica Dane is VRC Derby winner and Melbourne Cup placegetter .
CHAPADA 2nd Caulfield Classic
Patrick Moloney was bullish about his prospects of turning the tables on Thinkin’ Big in the Victoria Derby. He said Thinkin’ Big had an easy lead and had race fitness on Chapada but he believes he can turn the tables.
EDUARDO 1st Caulfield Sprint
This sprinter is shaping as the next fairytale sprinter in Australian racing. He’s still learning but won with authority at Group 2 level at only his sixth start.
LIFE LESS ORDINARY 3rd Coongy Cup
Ran on nicely off a slow tempo for third. He’s primed to win a second tier race at the carnival.
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