The CF Orr Stakes and the Blue Diamond Preludes are the headline acts at Caulfield as we prepare for the running of the first Group 1 of 2022.
As always, the BetDeluxe crew of experts is licking its lips ahead of a huge card full of best best and each-way value.
With fine weather around in Melbourne, expect the track to favour on pacers with race tempo also being a key to results.
Caulfield race 1
#5 ripper rita
Taking a set against the favourite who is yet to have a run over 1400 metres.
Siding with Ripper Rita who is first-up and may lack race fitness, but she will get an economical run from barrier four and will likely not have to use too much energy.
Damian Lane has been booked which is a signal of intent from the stable.
She comes out of some stronger form races and looks well weighted.
Suggested Bet: Ripper Rita each-way at $9 the win and $2.35 the place
Caulfield race 2
#7 decent raine
Decent Raine just keeps getting better as she continues to race.
She has been up since the spring carnival of 2020, but has shown no signs of slowing down.
The three-year-old filly has fitness on her side compared to some of the resuming horses who may have the class edge over her.
Barrier one means she gets the run of the race and Jye Mcneil is the best rider in Victoria at the moment.
Suggested Bet: Decent Raine win at $3.2
Caulfield race 3
#5 jacquinot
Not sure he beat much of a field on debut, but it was hard not to be impressed with the win of Jacquinot.
The two-year-old colt from the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. yard launched over the top of his rivals after settling well back from a wide barrier.
It was more the professionalism, line-chasing ability and will to run away from his opposition that really stood out despite not running an amazing time.
He is sure to have taken a stack of improvement from that effort and a recent jump out at Cranbourne gave us a good indication that he has returned in super order since that winning effort on Boxing Day last year.
Things might get a little icky from barrier one, but we have Damian Lane to sort that problem out.
Expect Lane to give this horse free reign early in order to take up a spot handy to the lead or even leaders back.
Could be a monty if he gets the gaps at the top of the straight.
Suggested Bet: Jacquinot win at $2.7
caulfield race 4
#8 english riviera
The main formline here looks like the Blue Diamond Preview, but we are siding with the Flemington straight form of English Riviera.
Tony and Calvin McEvoy produced this two-year-old filly on debut up the straight and she truck loaded in the betting but found one better than her.
She seemed to wonder about up and was not able to let down as expected.
Running around a bend and potentially being locked away with some cover in order to explode later in the race might just be the very way to get her racing at her best.
Mark Zahra has been booked and barrier one should see her get a lovely run up on the speed.
Think she a big elevation in her from the run at Flemington and that would make her super hard to hold out.
Suggested Bet: English Riviera win at $4.8
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 3, 8
caulfield race 5
#6 scorched earth
Went like a rocket at Caulfield over 1100 metres last start when she landed some heavy bets for the punters.
She showed her versatility by winning from the rear-half of the field and unveiling her lovely turn of foot.
Barrier three will afford Damien Oliver the option to settle much closer in the run making her a bigger chance than what she was last start.
Fit, firing and in winning form with a sharp victory at the track already is exactly what we are looking for.
Suggested Bet: Scorched Earth win at $3.5
caulfield race 6
#8 normandy bridge
There will be plenty of interest in Normandy Bridge when he makes his Australian debut.
Acquired by the Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace stable, jumped out very stylishly at Cranbourne over 1400 metres back on January 24.
He impressed with his action and ability to find the line in the jump out, which is going to be a big asset to his chances in this race.
The market usually cottons onto these European horses when they run for the first time in Australia and this looks no exception.
He looks a stronger horse than the favourite Open Minded who will be susceptible at 1600 metres.
Suggested Bet: Normandy Bridge win at $3.7
Caulfield race 7
#8 Marine One
Marine One was scratched last Saturday and has now been entered in the Rubiton Stakes.
He looks perfectly placed by the Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace stable for a number of reasons.
The first is his strong fitness base compared to the rest of this field.
A lot of the runners in this event are having their first run for the campaign, where as Marine One is up and running.
The speed map also presents an opportunity for Jamie Kah to boot up, control the lead and make this a tough test for the unfit horses.
He gets right down in the weights on the minimum of 54kgs and brings in some of the strongest summer sprinting form having run within a narrow margin of winning machine In The Boat.
Suggested Bet: Marine One win at $4.6
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 1 & 8
caulfield race 8
#7 sinawann
Prior to his last two runs, you could be forgiven for thinking a Group 1 in Australia run might be a bit too soon for Sinawann.
However, his last start effort in the Group 2 Australia Stakes suggests he is ready to tackle the big races.
After being ambled out of the barriers at Moonee Valley and flopping out the rear half of the field, he sped to the line finishing second behind the very sharp sprinter Marabi.
It was the perfect tick-over run for a race like this after he was given two months off from his win at Caulfield in November last year to the run at Moonee Valley.
He is surely going to elevate from a fitness perspective and we know how good the Freedman team is at getting their horses to peak in Group 1 races.
Craig Williams retains the ride and will not have to do too much work from barrier six to find a nice trailing spot in the run the home straight.
Suggested Bet: Sinawann win at $4
Suggested Exotic: Boxed First Four – 1, 2, 3, 7, 12
caulfield race 9
#3 flying mascot
The big naught on the roulette wheel in this race is Flying Mascot.
There is no ceiling to what she is capable of this preparation after she elevated to a new level last campaign.
She stepped up to the mark every time Tom Dabernig asked her and her most recent jump out suggests she has comeback a better horse.
Conceded the favourite Probabeel will be hard to beat having won her last three first-up efforts and being a four-time winner at Caulfield from five starts.
But Flying Mascot could be the one to knock her off.
Suggested Bet: Flying Mascot win at $5
