Betsy welcomes respected racing analyst Trav Noonan to the team. Trav has been doing vital work for punters for years, assembling likely fields ahead of upcoming feature racing.
Saturday racing heads to Caulfield for the opening day of the Caulfield Cup Carnival, the day that is most punters’ and fans’ favourite, Caulfield Guineas Day.
In the first edition of The First Look, we’ll take you through the predicted line-ups for the Caulfield Guineas, Toorak Handicap, Might And Power Stakes, Herbert Power Stakes, Schillaci Stakes, as well as the action from Rosehill with the Alan Brown Handicap, Hill Stakes and Roman Consul Stakes for the three-year-olds.
A full field of 16 is expected for the $3 million Caulfield Guineas.
Chris Waller will likely have two runners, Wodeton and Autumn Boy, to represent the stable. Golden Rose winner Beiwacht is still an option to run for Godolphin in their Everest slot and as such is not expected in the final field at this stage, although a final decision is yet to be made.
James McDonald and Damian Lane are booked for the Waller runners, with decisions on who rides which horse to be made later in the week. Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Estremo is expected to head back to Sydney for the Tapp-Craig at Rosehill.
Mark Zahra will stick with Vinrock for Matt Laurie, who will also run Vega For Luck with Jamie Mott in the saddle.
Ben and Jamie Melham will take the rides on Ciaron Maher’s pair, West Of Swindon and Navy Pilot. Godolphin will also have Observer in the race, with Ethan Brown to partner him.
Blake Shinn is expected to ride Nepotism in what will be his first start in Melbourne.
CAULFIELD GUINEAS, 1600m, Group 1, 3yo’s
NEPOTISM (M, W & J Hawkes) B Shinn
VINROCK (M Laurie) M Zahra
WODETON (C Waller)
AUTUMN BOY (C Waller)
RIVELLINO (K Lees) C Williams
WEST OF SWINDON (C Maher) B Melham
NAVY PILOT (C Maher) J Melham
ROMANTIC ENCOUNTER (B, W & JD Hayes) D Stackhouse
PLANET RED (M Price & M Kent Jnr) J Childs
SPACE RIDER (M Price & M Kent Jnr) B Mertens
HIGHVOL (N Ryan) D Bates
BINGI (P Moody & K Coleman)
OBSERVER (C Maher) E Brown
REGAL AWARD (P Stokes) L Neindorf
VEGA FOR LUCK (M Laurie) J Mott
STAY COSMIC (P Stokes) T Stockdale
HILLIER (A & R Archibald) J McNeil
CENTU CAVADDI (T Busuttin & N Young)
The Toorak Handicap will see Sir Rupert Clarke stakes winner Sepals at the head of all-in markets when nominations are released tomorrow. Ethan Brown will link back up with the Mornington-trained Group 1 winner, after Craig Williams warmed the saddle last start due to Ethan not being able to make the weight.
Lindsay Park will be represented by Sandown Stakes winner Evaporate. But the stable won’t be running Cafe Millennium or Rise At Dawn, who head to Sydney for their next runs.
Leica Lucy and Lazzura run here for Chris Waller, with James McDonald to ride Lazzura as long as she is weighted above 55kgs when they drop tomorrow.
Desert Lightning is the likely topweight with 59kgs, with a domestic handicap rating of 110.
TOORAK HANDICAP, 1600m, Group 1
DESERT LIGHTNING (P Moody & K Coleman) L Nolen
PINSTRIPED (E Jusufovic) J Mott
SEPALS (C Brown) E Brown
FEROCE (D Sutton) B Egan
EVAPORATE (B, W & JD Hayes) B Shinn
LAZZURA (C Waller)
TRANSATLANTIC (T Gollan) M Zahra
DAMASK ROSE (M Walker)
ABOUNDING (R Heathcote)
ATHANATOS (P Stokes) C Williams
EL ROCKO (J McArdle)
LEICA LUCY (C Waller)
Treasurethe moment and Buckaroo headline Saturday’s Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield, but may face a small field, with plenty of the runners to be nominated also set to be in Saturday’s Hill Stakes at Rosehill which includes Light Infantry Man, Attrition and Kingswood.
One horse who is expected here is Globe with the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained runner to be ridden by Blake Shinn.
Alenquer and Point King are possible other starters.
MIGHT AND POWER STAKES, 2000m, Group 1, Weight-For-Age
BUCKAROO (C Waller) J McDonald
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (C Maher) E Brown
ATTRITION (M Freedman)
ALENQUER (B, W & JD Hayes)
POINT KING (A & S Freedman)
GLOBE (M Price & M Kent Jnr) B Shinn
KINGSWOOD (G Bedggood)
CHARTERHOUSE (G Bedggood)
TREASURETHE MOMENT (M Laurie) D Lane
A golden ticket for the Caulfield Cup is up for grabs in Saturday’s Herbert Power stakes, with the winner going straight to to the top of the ballot order in next week’s Group 1 contest.
Improving gallopers Plymouth, Whisky On The Hill and Kings Valley head here. They will be joined by the likes of Post Impressionist, Brayden Star, Statuario, Banker’s Choice
HERBERT POWER STAKES, 2400m, Group 2, Handicap
SMOKIN’ ROMANS (C Maher)
POST IMPRESSIONIST (A & S Freedman) B Shinn
BANKER’S CHOICE (B, W & JD Hayes) D Stackhouse
BRAYDEN STAR (T Busuttin & N Young) C Williams
WHISKY ON THE HILL (G Thompson) D Lane
STAR OF INDIA (C Waller)
SCARY (D & E Browne)
STATUARIO (D & E Browne)
KINGS VALLEY (C Maher)
PLYMOUTH (B, W & JD Hayes)
Giga Kick is likely to return in the Schillaci Stakes with Mark Zahra to ride the former Everest winner. Plenty of top-class sprinters are also expected in the field with Rey Magnerio, Nadal, Tropicus, Benedetta and Queman. Niance is expected here also as is Arabian Summer for the McEvoys.
Blue Diamond winner Devil Night is another possible starter in the Group 2 feature.
Joe Pride has also entered Monash Stakes winner In Flight here, but she is also going to be in the Northwood Plume and The Nivison, with a decision to come as to where she heads.
SCHILLACI STAKES, 1100m, Group 2, Weight-For-Age
GIGA KICK (C Douglas) M Zahra
TROPICUS (A & S Freedman) D Lane
REY MAGNERIO (R Griffiths) J McNeil
QUEMAN (S & C Oxlade)
NADAL (C Maher) E Brown
KLABEL (R & C Jolly)
ARABIAN SUMMER (T & C McEvoy) H Coffey
BENEDETTA (C Maher)
NIANCE (G Begg) J Childs
IN FLIGHT (J Pride)
DEVIL NIGHT (M, W & J Hawkes)
The Alan Brown Handicap may not have Group status but a big field is likely to be assembled given the 1400m contest’s rich purse of $1.5 million.
Shannon Stakes winner Waterford will run here for Chris Waller and is to be joined in the race by Cameron Handicap winner Headley Grange. Gun mare Firestorm, Vivy Air, Tavi Time, With Your Blessing, Bosustow, Miss Roumbini, Sandpaper and The Inflictor are other likely starters.
Gringotts may be in the nominations but likely waits for the King Charles Stakes next week. Royal Patronage also heads that way.
ALAN BROWN HANDICAP, 1400m
GRINGOTTS (C Maher)
WATERFORD (C Waller)
TAVI TIME (K Lees)
HEADLEY GRANGE (J Pride) A Hyeronimus
SANDPAPER (B Baker)
MCHALE (C Waller)
FIRESTORM (C Waller) J Collett
THE INFLICTOR (C Cousins)
MISS ROUMBINI (M Price & M Kent Jnr)
WITH YOUR BLESSING (J Thompson)
BOSUSTOW (A & R Archibald)
IKNOWASTAR (B Baker)
OH DIAMOND LIL (D Pfieffer)
GERRINGONG (G Waterhouse & A Bott)
SNOW IN MAY (J O’Shea & T Charlton)
BOSSY NIC (T & C McEvoy)
DARK GLITTER (M Van Gestel)
VIVY AIR (C Maher) K McEvoy
Golden Slipper winner Marhoona is likely to be seen again in Saturday’s Roman Consul Stakes. Golden Rose winner Beiwacht, may also be in the nominations but no decision has been made as to what his next run is.
Beadman, Raging Force and Akaysha all possibly represent Peter Snowden in the Group 2 feature.
ROMAN CONSUL STAKES, 1200m, Group 2, 3yo’s
BEIWACHT (C Waller)
BEADMAN (P Snowden)
RAGING FORCE (P Snowden)
GRAND EAGLE (G Ryan & S Alexiou)
HIDDEN MOTIVE (N Doyle)
MARHOONA (M Freedman) T Berry
AKAYSHA (P Snowden)
The Hill Stakes is worth a lot of money but is another race with likely low numbers. Light Infantry Man, Attrition and Kingswood are more likely to head here than the Might And Power, with Kerrin McEvoy booked to ride Attrition, who won this race last year.
Chris Waller will have Kovalica and Militarize in the race.
Queensland Derby winner Maison Louis also runs here.
HILL STAKES, 1900m, Group 2, Weight-For-Age
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (C Maher)
KOVALICA (C Waller)
MILITARIZE (C Waller) J Collett
ATTRITION (M Freedman) K McEvoy
KINGSWOOD (G Bedggood)
MAISON LOIUS (J O’Shea & T Charlton) D Gibbons
*All predicted line ups in the First Look are subject to change.
