Analysis: Matt Stewart looks at the Caulfield Guineas 2016 — field, factors and form in full detail

SYDNEY form for the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas is strong and a Godolphin colt leads the pack heading into Saturday’s classic.

SYDNEY form for the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas is strong and a Godolphin colt leads the pack heading into Saturday’s classic.

Herald Sun’s Matt Stewart takes a close look at the field contesting the Caulfield Group 1 and delivers his final judgment.

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THE EARLY OIL: CAULFIELD

DATES TO REMEMBER: SPRING RACING CARNIVAL

THE FACTORS

Track: Good 3

Rail: True

Forecast: Partly cloudy, 18C

$1m CAULFIELD GUINEAS

Group 1, 1600m

Caulfield, Saturday 4.30pm

1 SACRED ELIXIR 7 T Pike D Lane 56.5kg $6

2 IMPENDING 10 J O’Shea J McDonald 56.5kg $4.40

3 GOOD STANDING 11 J Cummings H Bowman 56.5kg $10

4 DIVINE PROPHET 1 Team Hawkes D Dunn 56.5kg $4.80

5 HEY DOC 13 T McEvoy L Currie 56.5kg $11

6 SARACINO 4 M Baker & A Forsman D Oliver 56.5kg $13

7 SEABURGE 9 Team Hayes M Zahra 56.5kg $18

8 REVOLVING DOOR 8 C McDonald C Brown 56.5kg $26

9 WAZZENME 5 S Webb L Nolen 56.5kg $21

10 EVACUATION 3 G Waterhouse & A Bott K McEvoy 56.5kg $7

11 LAND OF PLENTY 14 M Price C Newitt 56.5kg $41

12 KACHING 6 C Maher N Hall 56.5kg $21

13 SO SI BON 12 R Laing M Dee (a) 56.5kg $41

14 BARBIE’S BOY 2 L Bonella D Stackhouse 56.5kg $101

BRAD DAVIDSON & SHAYNE O’CASS PREVIEW SATURDAY’S BIG RACES

THE SKINNY

SACRED ELIXIR

On style and pedigree — even place of origin — he looks every bit the Derby winner. But can he win the Guineas along the way? Great swooping alley to find out.

IMPENDING

The Blue Army is on the march. Second Godolphin seed after Astern’s setback but a worthy favourite after a barnstorming Sydney win in the Stan Fox Stakes over 1500m last start (PS: The Sydney form looks best).

GOOD STANDING

Been running well in all the right races in Sydney and solid behind Impending last start. Likely to give that colt a cart across the field from a wide alley. Chance.

DIVINE PROPHET

You could probably throw a tea towel over Impending, Good Standing and Divine Prophet. Barriers probably crucial in splitting them here and the Prophet has barrier one. It’s been a pretty good Guineas barrier, too.

Dylan Dunn salutes on Hey Doc at Moonee Valley. Picture: Getty Images

HEY DOC

Stringing them together but meets the Sydney wave for the first time. Awkward alley, but he has really hit his straps.

SARACINO

Not much luck when bottled up on the fence here last start. Inconclusive. May not be quite good enough but will get his chance from the good alley.

SEABURGE

Ran on OK last start but one of many in a competitive Melbourne group, against the Sydney A-graders.

REVOLVING DOOR

Looked home at the 300m of the Prelude when he kicked, only to be run down by the weaving Sacred Elixir. Up to 1600m, it’s hard to see him beating that horse.

WAZZANME

Absolutely flying — but only against the locals. Place best.

CHRIS VERNUCCIO, DANNY RUSSELL & MATT STEWART PREVIEW GUINEAS DAY AT CAULFIELD

EVACUATION

Big effort when stuck wide here last start. Good, grinding Sydney winner before that. Better drawn, real smoky.

LAND OF PLENTY

Nice horse and playing at home, but this is a Caulfield Guineas …

KACHING

Been running “big’’ sectionals from back in the field. Probably has the wrong formlines, but Ciaron Maher has a knack in these big races.

SO SI BON

Nice, progressive type but probably more a Derby horse.

BARBIE’S BOY

This is a tad ambitious.

Damian Lane and Sacred Elixir combine to claim the Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Picture: Getty Images

TAKE A LINE

CAULFIELD GUINEAS PRELUDE (1400m)

September 24

SACRED ELIXIR (1st) ran home strongly from midfield to win from Guineas rivals including REVOLVING DOOR (2nd), who raced on the speed, and WAZZENME (3rd) who finished nicely and didn’t have the best of luck. SEABURGE (4th) finished off from worse than midfield. He looked the winner with 150m to go but died on his run. SARACINO (5th) raced on the speed but was held up for a run for most of the straight. SO SI BON (6th) settled close to last and ran home strongly. EVACUATION (7th) was trapped wide throughout.

STUTT STAKES (1600m)

September 30

HEY DOC (1st) showed his class when an easy winner. Took the lead a long way out and didn’t look like being beaten. LAND OF PLENTY (2nd) ran home strongly from a long way back. KACHING (3rd) also settled back and although still racing greenly finished off nicely.

MATT STEWART SELECTS

1st GOOD STANDING

2nd Evacuation

3rd Sacred Elixir

4th Impending

Impending and James McDonald produce a memorable victory in the Stan Fox Stakes. Picture: Simon Bullard