Popular pundit Laurie Sainsbury is fired up for one of his favourite race days of the year – Caulfield Guineas day on Saturday.
LUQYAA (Caulfield Race 2 No 8)
This filly resumed at Flemington, started big odds and ran a blinder when third to Fox Swift. Have a look at the horse that ran fifth in that race, Mintha, she ran super next start at Moonee Valley when chasing home Houtzen. Luqyaa has met Split Lip twice, that filly narrowly beat her at Morphettville in a stakes race in April and then beat her home less than a length at Flemington. Given that Luqyaa’s sectional times were very similar to Mintha’s we give her a great chance at the odds available on Saturday. They will go quick in this with Tarcoola Spirit and Divine Messenger from widish draws pushing up and then Invincible Star from barrier 18 presses on. Field should break up a little and allow Damien Oliver to get cover from the outside gate.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $15 @ Sportsbet, Bet365
INFERENCE (Caulfield Race 7 No 7)
This horse resumed in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick when sixth, beaten four lengths by Winx, raced three wide the trip and forced wider on the turn. Second-up he looked just so, so when ninth beaten six lengths by Humidor. However, last start in the Underwood he was terrific late when beaten 2-1/2 lengths by Bonneval and in doing so ran the equal quickest last 200m with the winner. You could make a seriously strong case to say the he should have won last year’s Victoria Derby. He drew 16 of 16 that day and late in the race was poleaxed yet came again to run third to Prized Icon. The imports Johannes Vermeer and The Taj Mahal look the pace here and Hartnell should be positive as well, pace genuine that gives Inference a good run closer to the pace than last start.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $26 @ Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, CrownBet, Luxbet, Bet365, PalmerBet
GOLD STANDARD (Caulfield Race 8 No 7)
Two runs back in the Stan Fox over 1500m he defeated Sanctioned and Addictive Nature. He led up that day then handed over to the aggressively going The Mission before winning decisively. Fourth in that race was Trapeze Artist and fifth was Ace High, they have since won the Golden Rose and Spring Champion Stakes. In the Golden Rose back to 1400m this horse ran fourth finishing alongside Menari, beat home Perast by almost two lengths, Pariah by three lengths and Merchant Navy by four lengths. He has a great racing attitude and from the draw he maps nicely as The Mission only knows one way, go forward and run along. Good to read in Tom Baddock’s Racenet report that he got on his Melbourne leg in a recent jump out. A couple here to play at odds are Azazel, Salsamour and Sanctioned.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $11 @ CrownBet, William Hill, Bet365, PalmerBet.
ROCK MAGIC (Caulfield Race 10 No 2)
His only flop in his last 13 starts was a 14 of 15 in the T.J Smith Stakes behind Chautauqua on a heavy track. He has won or placed, no further back than fourth, in the other 12 runs. Those fourths were in the William Reid and the Moir Stakes last start when the margin from the winner, She Will Reign the favourite for The Everest, was 1-1/2 lengths. He ran Vega Magic, the second favourite for The Everest, to a half-neck in November last year at Ascot and two runs back defeated Scales Of Justice, who was unlucky in the Bobbie Lewis behind Redkirk Warrior. He knocked up at Moonee Valley in the Moir after a tough run, three wide, challenged before fading late. Fitter now and with pace on here from Sheidel from the outside gate he looks to get a lovely run.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $8.50 @ Bet365
