Racenet’s editorial team has scoured the nominations and provided you with their futures tip for the Group I Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Group I Thousand Guineas (1600m).
STEPHEN BRASSEL
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – ROYAL SYMPHONY ($5 Sportsbet): Tried to find something at better odds but there’s a clump of them who I rate similarly and I just kept coming back to the obvious in this Tony McEvoy-trained colt. He’s unbeaten and every time he goes to the track he looks better, also he’s proven at the distance bolting in over the Flemington 1600m. If I have one query it’s getting around Caulfield as his recent wins have all been at Flemington but on what he’s showing Royal Symphony might just be something very special. I’m also giving a special mention to Muraahib ($17) who was a real eye-catcher when resuming and 1600m is also right up his alley.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – CATCHY ($8 Ladbrokes): Love the attitude of this filly and she puts in every time she goes to the races. There’s obviously question marks about the majority of the fillies as they head towards the 1600m of the Guineas but Catchy is certainly one bred to get the distance. Her dam Cats Whisker finished second in the 2008 edition of the race behind Gallica and her other two starts at 1600m were seconds in the Edward Manifold and Stocks Stakes. Also, Catchy loves Caulfield having won three-from-four with a close second on the other occasion.
CLINTON PAYNE
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – KEMENTARI ($21 Sportsbet) : For me this bloke has Caulfield Guineas written all over him. I’m sure he will run well in the Golden Rose but at 1400m I expect he’ll find the likes of Menari too slick for him, they won’t be too slick for him but when he gets to the mile. His first-up run was excellent, he’ll improve again in the Golden Rose and then peak three weeks later when he gets to Caulfield over a distance I expect will allow him to show what he’s capable of.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – PANDEMONIUM ($51 Bet365, Unibet): At these odds, I’m happy to chance the arm on this Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly. A daughter of Sebring, Pandemonium has taken it to another level since stepping up in trip, scoring a soft maiden win over 1400m before again winning easily when leading all the way over a mile at Warwick Farm last time out. The horse she beat that day Augustus has won easily since and the stable have this filly heading to Saturday’s Tea Rose Stakes enroute to the Flight Stakes and Thousand Guineas.
PAUL JOICE
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – THY KINGDOM COME ($101 Ladbrokes): John Thompson’s colt raced in stakes grade at his first four starts and couldn’t manage a placing. But a step up to 1600m and a drop back to maiden grade resulted in a different result – a six length romp. It’s a long way to go from a Kembla maiden win to the Caulfield Guineas, but he’s proven at the mile, is open to further improvement and if he turns up on the day, he won’t be 100/1.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – PANDEMONIUM ($51 Bet365): The Flight Stakes/Thousand Guineas double was won by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott last year with Global Glamour and Pandemonium is the filly set to have a crack at it this year. Already a convincing winner over the mile, she’s ticked that box early and looks a big strong girl, so she’s set for a long campaign. With two weeks between the Flight Stakes and Thousand Guineas, the timing will be perfect, so at $101 I will be having something on.
TOM WALTER
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – MERCHANT NAVY ($8 Sportsbet): Hard to knock a horse that’s won four from four. Hasn’t looked like getting beaten either. Won twice over 1400m as a two-year-old so doubt 1600m metres will pose any problems now. With the right trainer in Ciaron Maher and has had a winning experience at Caulfield first-up this campaign.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – ALOISIA ($17 Bet365): Going with another Maher stable member here. What an impressive filly this is. Had two starts in NZ, finishing fifth and second, before winning on debut in Australia over the Flemington 1400m course. She then rose sharply in class in the Group I JJ Atkins (1600m) three weeks later and was narrowly beaten by Capital Gain. You know she runs the trip and reverts to female class on her home track so must be a genuine chance.
BRAD WATERS
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – ROYAL SYMPHONY ($11 Ladbrokes): He’s a very exciting colt that has blitzed his rivals in three much easier races. The Caulfield Guineas is another few steps up from the levels he has been too good for but Royal Symphony will have a couple of runs to build further experience and the fact he is already proven at the mile is another plus. However, his current price is a query when he is yet to meet any of his main rivals. That will change in the coming weeks as his form develops but he’ll be hard to beat in the Caulfield Guineas.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – SHOALS ($21 CrownBet): I’m still giving myself uppercuts for not backing her at Moonee Valley last Saturday because this girl is simply a winner. She had three starts as a two-year-old and did a terrific job to score in all of them, including in Sydney when not much went her way in the wet at Randwick in April where she beat Formality, who has done the job twice at Group II level in Sydney this time in. Shoals sat wide and was too good over 1200m at Moonee Valley when resuming and she’ll be fine over longer trips because she relaxes well in her races and she’s a competitor. After a chastening lesson at Moonee Valley, I’ll be sticking with her for the entire spring.
DARRYL SHERER
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – MURAAHIB ($17 Sportsbet): Far from disgraced in the Blue Diamond Stakes last season to show he is a legitimate Group horse and showed with a luckless third when resuming behind Merchant Navy at Caulfield he has not gone backwards. A son of Reset so the trip should not pose a problem and looks like he is still progressing. At the odds he certainly appeals at this stage.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – SHOALS ($11 Sportsbet): She’s unbeaten and while she doesn’t do things in a spectacular fashion she gets the job done. On pedigree, the trip will not pose a problem and her racing style suggests the 1600m will suit. Showed she has come back in good order with a soft win at Moonee Valley and still had her winter coat. At least you know she is being aimed at the race.
BEN DORRIES
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – WASSERGEIST ($81 William Hill): I love a big-odds speculator on an untapped, improving horse during the spring and Wassergeist is my longshot Caulfield Guineas play. Has only just got his maiden win out of the way with an all-the-way win at Sandown, but this Fastnet Rock colt has the x-factor to be a Guineas contender. The step up to 1600m will present no problems and he looks like the sort of horse who will suit Caulfield. Has some powerful connections who are desperate to get him to the stallion-making Guineas.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – ALOISIA ($17 Bet365): I might be going off a bit early with this girl, considering she will certainly be better suited over more distance, for instance in the 2500m of the VRC Oaks. But I reckon Ciaron Maher’s OTI filly has a massive future and I want to back her in just about anything she runs in. This former Kiwi produced a big win over 1400m at Flemington in her first Aussie run in May then showed that was no fluke with a fast finishing third in the Group I JJ Atkins during the Queensland carnival. I think she could be one of the finds of the Spring.
TOM BADDOCK
CAULFIELD GUINEAS – ESPERANCE ($14 Sportsbet): This James Cummings-trained gelding made a stunning debut at Echuca. The son of Bernardini made a mess of his rivals, strolling in to win by 8-lengths eased down. He recorded the fastest 1100m time on the day, prompting form analyst Daniel O'Sullivan to rate the win higher than Golden Slipper heroine She Will Reign. Esperance has only stepped out for one other start where he survived interference to score a comfortable two-length victory in Benchmark 64 grade. It is hard to know whether the Caulfield Guineas has come too soon for Esperance but he is clearly a seriously progressive talent and one that I am keen to stick with.
THOUSAND GUINEAS – CATCHY ($8 Ladbrokes): I’m a huge fan of this Blue Diamond winner and believe she could be even better as a three-year-old, especially considering she is a daughter of Fastnet Rock. Although she tasted defeat first-up in the Group III Quezette Stakes (1100m) she looks to have come back as well as ever, charging through the line to be edged out by Crown Witness. We already know she gets around Caulfield and I can’t wait to see her step up in trip as I believe this is when we will see the best of her.
