Dalasan cements standing as clear favourite for Caulfield Guineas after dominant Danehill Stakes win
He’s a special one. It was a run to silence the naysayers and catapult Dalasan to outright favouritism for the Caulfield Guineas after the South Australian colt throttled his rivals at Flemington.
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South Australian colt Dalasan has cemented standing as Group 1 Caulfield Guineas favourite after a dominant win in the Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Backed into $2.60 favouritism, Dalasan unleashed a devastating finishing surge to down Dubious ($9.50) and Express Pass ($6) to improve an imposing record to four wins from five starts.
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In the process, the Adelaide three-year-old firmed from $6.50 to clear-cut $5 favourite for the October 12 Caulfield Guineas.
Handled with supreme confidence by Raquel Clark for Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas, Dalasan win justified Macdonald’s confidence in horse and rider.
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The veteran trainer revealed several leading riders have been hunting for the ride on the gun youngster.
“All the jockey managers had my number dialled in on speed dial and, if she had made a mistake at the 200, they would have all hit the button at once,” Macdonald said.
“It’s a fair while since Adelaide has had a really top horse and I think this colt could be one.
“I must admit that at one stage there I was getting a little bit worried.
“He got a bit lost up the straight but he overcame that and it’s onwards and upwards from here and he will just get better with a bit of racing.”
Providing Dalasan recovers well, he will proceed to the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).
Clark, Adelaide’s champion jockey last season, admitted to some pre-race nerves but she soon regained composure.
“He’s very green but once I got on his back there was no nerves, there was all excitement,” she said.
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