Lloyd Williams confident after Caulfield Cup review

Lloyd Williams acknowledged the efforts of the first six placegetters in the Caulfield Cup but saw nothing that stood out.

Trainer Joseph O'Brien poses with Lloyd Williams after the pair combined to snare last year’s Melbourne Cup with Rekindling.

Owner Lloyd Williams, in reviewing the Caulfield Cup, acknowledged the efforts of the first six placegetters but saw nothing that stood out.

The owner of Melbourne Cup favourite Yucatan was at Moonee Valley on Saturday morning. Yucatan went there for a change of scenery and continued to please in the run-up to tomorrow fortnight’s $7.3 million event at Flemington.

Williams was delighted with the way Yucatan went about his exercise and in his appearance one week on from an amazing effort to win the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield eased down.

“He didn’t go there (the Valley) to do anything special. It was just a bit of a day away (from Werribee),” Williams said.

“He did a lap the reverse way (right-handed) and did the other lap left-handed.

“He’s in good order. He’s very well. He’s put all his weight back on after that run in the Herbert Power and looks very good.”

Reflecting on the Caulfield Cup — in which horses he owned ran second (Homesman), third (The Cliffsofmoher) and fifth (The Taj Mahal) — Williams felt the winner was deserving of his success given what he had to overcome.

“The first five or six horses will be competitive in the Melbourne Cup though Homesman won’t be running in it,” Williams said. The runner-up is earmarked to tackle the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) on November 10.

“There was no stand-out in the Caulfield Cup. Yucatan looks good but there is still 15 days to go and you need luck to win the big race.”

The Cliffsofmoher ran OK from a Melbourne Cup standpoint, that being his next start. The Taj Mahal was a game effort and is to back-up in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m).

Best Solution was last early, trekked five wide around the first bend and eventually got a breather mid-race before The Taj Mahal drew alongside and declared the race on 600m out. Homesman looked to get his nose in front a stride before the winning post, but Best Solution showed great tenacity.

“The winner deserved to win. He did a very good job with 57.5kg which is a serious weight. He did well. He has now won four in a row including three Group Is,’’ Williams said.

Irish Derby winner Latrobe, another of Williams’ UK string trained by Joseph O’Brien, has settled into the environment at Werribee and received a favourable report card from the boss of Hudson Conway Racing and Macedon Lodge.

“Latrobe has settled in very well. He’s a very nice type of (Northern Hemisphere) three-year-old,” said Williams, who combined with young O’Brien to win the Melbourne Cup last year with Rekindling. “He’s a totally different horse to Rekindling, who is a little light horse. Latrobe is a serious looking horse.

“Latrobe looks more a mile-and-a-quarter type rather than a two-mile horse, but he is a very nice type.”

Kings Will Dream sprawled out of the barriers, almost dislodging Craig Williams. The horse received some nicks in the process of regaining his balance. Trainer Darren Weir will decide where the brave beaten favourite goes in the next 48 hours.

Ventura Storm, a victim of the dawdling tempo in the Caulfield Cup, will back up in the Moonee Valley Cup joining the likes of Egg Tart and Who Shot Thebarman.

In-form Sydney sprinter Ball Of Muscle won’t play any further part in the Melbourne spring carnival, with trainer Joe Pride instead setting his sights on Perth.