On The Punt: Caulfield best bets for Saturday May 31, 2025

A talented Group 3-winning mare can resume with a win at Caulfield at Saturday.

News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday.

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BEST BET

NIANCE (R8 No.7): Niance won both starts last spring, including the Group 3 How Now Stakes over subsequent Group 1 placegetter She’s Bulletproof. The five-year-old mare missed the autumn after a paddock accident but has looked sharp in her trials. She has the talent to measure up in better races.

NEXT BEST

JIMMY THE BEAR (R6 No.3: Jimmy The Bear made a great return at Caulfield when he chased home War Machine, who has since won again and is now the favourite for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. The Patrick and Michelle Payne gelding has excellent second-up form with two wins and two seconds from four runs, and he has three wins at 1600m.

BIG SWINGER (R3 No.1): Three-year-old Big Swinger thrashed his rivals first-up in a Benchmark 64 at Pakenham before stepping up to the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint where he finished a close fifth as favourite.

THE JOCKEY

BEAU MERTENS

MILLENNIUM BLADE (R1 No.2 – $5), ILLATIVE (R2 No.9 – $5.50), NO FOOLING (R3 No.10 – $8.50), SILVER CLIFF (R4 No.14 – $10), REGAL VOW (R6 No.10 – $9), WONDER KID (R7 No.4 – $4.40), CLEO CAT (R8 No.10 – $4.80), HEARCOMESTHESTAR (R9 No.13 – $10).

Originally published as On The Punt: Caulfield best bets for Saturday May 31, 2025