One of, if not, Caulfield’s premier racing day comes to fruition as we charge into Caulfield Guineas Day with three Group 1 races on the card.
The Wizard of Odds goes through his best bets and value plays throughout a bumper 10-race card.
A first starter has caught as eye in the opening event, while the best of the weekend comes in the Toorak Handicap.
Caulfield Race 1
#1 Brereton
A brilliantly bred yearling who cost $1,000,000 at the sales.
Brereton comes into this Debutant Stakes event with a very nice jump out and trial under his belt.
The three-year-old colt by Group 1-winning sire Zoustar barely raise a sweat in his latest trial over 800 metres on a heavy Cranbourne track when going toe to toe with The Wizard King – who was very heavily backed on debut at Flemington last weekend.
This Peter Moody-trained colt looks to have a stack of ability and draws the peach barrier to settle in the first four, take a sit and use his acceleration with devastating force.
He travelled like a true professional in the Cranbourne trial with a very head carriage and beautiful stride.
It is exactly what to look for in a juvenile horse and he should be making a winning start to his career.
Suggested Bet: Brereton win at $3.6
Suggested Exotic: Exacta 1 & 4
Caulfield race 5
#1 Savatoxl
He is the class horse in this field and maps to come across to lead this race.
The six-year-old gelding went like a rocket in his 850-metre Ararat trial, but did so under a vice-like grip when pinging to the front and leading all the way to gap inferior opposition.
He looks to have comeback in superb order and is a genuine speed demon who will take a heap of catching in the lead on the a dry Caulfield track.
We can play on him each-way at the price just incase something attempt to challenge him in the lead and softens him up late in the race.
Suggested Bet: Savatoxl each-way at $5 the win and $1.8 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1, 5/ 1, 5, 6, 8/ 1, 5, 6, 8
Caulfield Race 8
#1 Anamoe
The most talented and brilliant of the three-year-old colts in Australia.
Anamoe has drawn a sticky gate out wide, but he gets the services of Damien Oliver to deal with it.
James Cummings had targeted this race from months out and his run in Golden Rose (1400m) is the perfect lead-up into what will be a high-pressure mile race.
It is the first time this horse goes up to this distance and he is well equipped to handle it with a massive sustained sprint.
Doubt Oliver will pull the reins back and go to the rear of the field with such a talented horse.
Expect him to chance his arm, find a midfield spot with cover, truck up into the three and four wide running and then launch this colt’s unrivalled sprint up the straight.
Should the market ignore the barrier, he could very well start odds-on.
Clear on top selection.
Suggested Bet: Anamoe win at $2.50
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta (PUNTERS PICK) – 1, 2, 7
Caulfield Race 9
#11 I'm Thunderstruck
Could be one of the potential handicap stars of the spring.
I’m Thunderstruck should already be a Group 1 winner after a gigantic performance in the Sir Rupert Clark Stakes last start.
It was the run of a horse saying ‘back me this preparation’ after being reefed back to last in a big field, hooked out to be one of the widest runners, being smashed at the top of the straight when attempting to find a way clear and charging to the line to finish third.
If he repeats that big effort in this mile race with only 52kgs, he is unbeatable.
Barrier four will give him the opportunity to find a position one-off the fence, a bit better than midfield and within striking distance of the leaders.
He will avenge his last start defeat and win his maiden Group 1.
Suggested Bet:I’m Thunderstruck win at $2.5
