It really does not get any better at Caulfield with Blue Diamond Day set to steal all the headlines.
Three Group 1s consisting of the Blue Diamond Stakes, Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes are set to send punters into raptures.
The BetDeluxe racing gang has been hard at work to find all the bets throughout a cracking nine-race card to be run on a good track that will give every horse its chance to win.
caulfield race 1
#2 generation
A real bomb-proof sprinter who takes all luck out of the equation by settling on the speed.
He won like a smart horse when resuming first-up over this course and distance in the $200,000 Manfred Stakes.
Really like the way he surged to the line and he will surely find another level here with the stable likely to have left plenty up his sleeve for deeper into his campaign.
Maps to lead and will be hard to run down.
Suggested Bet: Generation win at $2.20
Confidence Rating: 8.5/10
caulfield race 2
#2 flying mascot
Another shorty, this time in the form of Flying Mascot.
She keeps getting better with her racing and there is every chance she is set to elevate to new levels this campaign after a brilliant first-up run behind Probabeel.
Going up to 1400 metres looks the ideal scenario for her and she is going to control the speed of the race out in front.
This should be a victory on her way to the All-Star Mile in March.
Suggested Bet: Flying Mascot win at $1.90
Confidence Rating: 9/10
caulfield race 3
#3 castlereigh kid
A big brute of a staying horse who was as strong as an ox to the finish line in his Sandown BM-64 win over 1800 metres last start.
Might have preferred to get up in distance rather than remaining at 1800 metres, but the big thing here is that he will get all the favours out in the lead.
He has good gate speed, which is typical of the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott horses, and that will allow to head to the lead.
The blinkers are put on and he could improve a few more lengths on what he produced at Sandown.
Damien Oliver remains and we are very confident he is the horse to beat here.
Suggested Bet: Castlereigh Kid win at $3.6
Confidence Rating: 7/10
caulfield race 4
#12 von trapp
Arguably the toughest race on the card.
Von Trapp finally draws a barrier which will see him find a spot much closer to the lead than she has been settling in at her last few starts.
Her resuming run might not have looked amazing to the eye, but she was way too far back in a race that was never going to suit her.
Craig Williams booked and she is massive odds.
Worth a tiny each-way spec.
Suggested Bet: Von Trapp each-way at $18 the win and
Confidence Rating: 3/10
caulfield race 5
#1 cascadian
Yes, we are tipping the perennial to get his nose in front at the finish post.
Cascadian was flying home – as he usually does – when resuming first-up in the CF Orr a fortnight ago.
He draws barrier one here and will need an ounce of luck to get clear galloping room, but there does look to be enough speed in order to get this field stretched out so he is not clammed away on the rails.
Damien Oliver remains in the saddle and with any improvement on that first-up run, Oliver should be piloting the winner.
Suggested Bet: Cascadian win at $2.45
Confidence Rating: 8.5/10
caulfield race 6
#1 I'm Thundestruck
You can put a big line through I’m Thunderstruck’s first-up run at Caulfield.
He was simply given no mathematical chance from where he settled in the run after being hooked back to last.
Had to produce a strong mid-race burst and finishing burst in order to finish as close as he did.
Think he can turn the tables on Tofane being ridden a bit closer to the speed than he was a fortnight ago.
Tofane will be ahead of him on the speed map, but she had all the favours out in front in the CF Orr and might very well get softned up by the likes of Turaath and Streets of Avalon in this event.
If that is the case, it sets up well for I’m Thunderstruck to scorch home up the middle and run them all down.
Suggested Bet: I’m Thunderstruck win at $3.90
Confidence Rating: 8.5/10
caulfield race 7
#6 jacquinot
Was set for the race as soon as he won on debut back on Boxing Day of 2021.
He is a super-talented colt who is going to appreciate the rise to 1200 metres.
Missing the start is what cost him victory in the Blue Diamond Prelude, but he was sticking his nose through trying to find every gap he could manufacture just like a smart race horse should.
The middle barrier is the key to his winning chances here because it should allow him to get a cart into the race without being held up or cramped for room.
If he jumps cleanly, his finishing power will be incredibly hard to stop.
Suggested Bet: Jacquinot win at $5
Confidence Rating: 8/10
caulfield race 8
#1 wild ruler
Going for the best horse in the race under the handicap conditions.
He might have to carry the 59kgs, but Wild Ruler is the best sprinter in this field based on what he was produced on the form guide.
He is a Group 1 winner who has the experience and fitness base to run strongly first-up from a spell.
With a heap of early speed engaged in this race, he is going to get the perfect drop on them from barrier six and will be conserving all his energy for late in the race when the leaders start to feel the pinch.
He has three wins and two placings from his five first-up runs and we can confidently wager him on an each-way basis.
Suggested Bet: Wild Ruler each-way at $8.5 the win and $2.70 the place.
Confidence Rating: 9/10
caulfield race 9
#6 criminal code
The all-important weight swing occurs for Criminal Code when he meets his stablemate Desert Icon 2.5kgs better at the weights.
The pair faced each other at Caulfield last start, but it was Desert Icon who controlled proceedings and kicked clear to win easily.
Getting up to 2000 metres and his fourth-up run this campaign is going to suit Criminal Code and he should be able to tag the back of his stablemate from the inside barrier.
There was money around last start to suggest he could knock off the stable mate.
With that in mind and Brett Prebble opting to remain in the saddle, all sign point to this horse is going super back at his stables.
Would be very surprised if he missed a place at the very least.
Suggested Bet: Criminal Code each-way at $7.5 the win and $2.50 the place.
Confidence Rating: 6.5/10
