Caulfield Cup Racing Tips – Saint George looms large in spring classic

A capacity field of 18 will chase more than $6.5 million in prizemoney in what shapes as a fascinating battle between the established Australian stayers and a strong contingent of international talent. 

With the Melbourne Cup (3200m) just around the corner, the pressure will be on from the outset in a race that has produced some of the most memorable moments in Australian racing history.

Cosmic Crusader heads the betting at $5.50 following his outstanding victory in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. The Andrea Leek-trained galloper has gone from strength to strength since arriving from Western Australia, winning three of his five starts in Melbourne, including that dominant last-start performance. 

William Pike sticks with the six-year-old, who faces two significant challenges in stepping beyond the 2000m for the first time and overcoming a wide draw. He has the class to win, but there are enough questions to make things interesting at the top of the market.

Ciaron Maher holds a particularly strong hand, with Zahrann ($8), Saint George ($7.50) and Royal Supremacy ($13) all prominent in discussions. 

Zahrann was impressive when claiming the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield before struggling on the Heavy track in the Turnbull. Royal Supremacy brings proven staying credentials, having finished fifth in this race last year, while his recent victory in the JRA Cup (2000m) suggests he is building towards another strong showing.

The international challenge adds another dimension, with Wine Dark Sea ($8.50) and Enfjaar ($11) both bringing strong European staying form. Wine Dark Sea arrives following a Group 3 victory over 2671m at Newbury, while Enfjaar was successful over 2412m at Goodwood. Both have the stamina required, although adapting to the pressure of a capacity-field Caulfield Cup presents a different challenge.

Last year's winner Half Yours ($12) is back to defend his crown after completing the Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double in 2025. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding faces a tougher assignment with 57.5kg, some 5kg more than he carried to victory last year. Meanwhile, 2024 Melbourne Cup winner Knight's Choice ($27) adds further depth to a field packed with proven Group 1 performers.

History provides a few interesting angles. Five of the past 15 Caulfield Cup winners have come through the Turnbull Stakes, while barrier seven has produced five winners in the past 34 years. Interestingly, barrier one has not produced a winner since starting stalls were introduced in 1947. Favourites have also had a mixed record, with just five successful in the past 18 editions.

There are genuine chances throughout the field, and with so many different form lines converging, this promises to be one of the most intriguing staying contests of the spring.

The Caulfield Cup is Race 7 at Caulfield on what is a massive day of racing from around Australia with The Everest to be run and won at Randwick. 

The speed map suggests an interesting tactical battle, with emergency The Euphrates the most likely leader should he gain a start. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper has the early speed to roll forward and dictate terms, although his participation remains dependent on scratchings.

Treasurethe Moment, She's A Hustler and Royal Supremacy are mapped in the on-speed division, while Kingswood and Mr Monaco are positioned between the on-speed runners and midfield. The map has Saint George, Zahrann and Knight's Choice settling further back, with Cosmic Crusader, Half Yours and Wine Dark Sea among those expected to be ridden patiently.

The lack of an obvious leader among the guaranteed starters could make the early stages particularly important. Treasurethe Moment may find herself closer to the speed than many of her main rivals, while the wide draws for Cosmic Crusader and Wine Dark Sea could leave their riders with difficult decisions.

With a relatively short run to the first turn, those drawn wide risk being caught deep, while the runners settling in the first half of the field could enjoy a tactical advantage if the tempo is only moderate. Expect the pressure to build from the 800m as the staying power of the leading contenders is put to the test.

Saint George looks a terrific winning chance in the Caulfield Cup. The Ciaron Maher-trained grey has put together some excellent performances this preparation, including successive handicap victories over the 2000m at Flemington and Caulfield before chasing home stablemate Zahrann in the Naturalism Stakes (2000m). He carried 58.5kg in two of those runs and 61.5kg in the other, making his drop to just 53.5kg particularly appealing. His most recent effort in the Turnbull Stakes can be forgiven after he failed to handle the testing Heavy conditions, and the return to a firmer surface should be much more to his liking. He has proven staying credentials from his European days, having won over 2916m, while Craig Williams takes the ride from barrier two. With a favourable draw, a significant weight advantage and conditions looking ideal, he gets his chance to claim a maiden Group 1 victory.

Treasurethe Moment looks capable of producing an upset at attractive odds. The Matt Laurie-trained mare was one of the stars of Australian racing during her three-year-old season, putting together an extraordinary sequence of nine consecutive victories that included Group 1 success over staying distances in the Australasian Oaks (2000m) and Australian Oaks (2400m). She also demonstrated her class against the older horses when finishing third in the Cox Plate (2040m) last spring. Her form this preparation has been mixed, including a disappointing effort behind Land Legend at Caulfield last weekend, but she should have taken plenty of fitness from that outing and now gets out to a distance that has previously brought out her best. Barrier five gives Daniel Stackhouse plenty of options, and the speed map suggests she can settle in the first few runners without doing too much work. She needs to rediscover her best form, but at around the $21 mark, there is enough upside to make her an appealing value selection.