Caulfield Blackbookers July 25 – Horses to Follow & Key Runs from Bletchingly Stakes day

Here are our blackbookers and horses to follow from the action.

When a horse is sent out as a $2.35 favourite, this is exactly the type of finish you want to see. Custom put the race away with authority, careering clear to score by three lengths despite coming into the meeting with just one win from 10 starts. The Ciaron Maher-trained filly showed the class that connections have always believed she possessed and now looks ready to continue climbing through the grades. Another Benchmark assignment may come first before stepping into mares' stakes races during the spring, where she looks capable of measuring up.

Stakes lost no admirers despite finishing third at just his second career start. The Team Hayes youngster had impressed on debut at Bendigo and was well backed again, producing the fastest 400m-200m split of the race before his inexperience cost him in the straight. He laid in under pressure and shifted abruptly near the 150m, preventing him from fully extending. With natural improvement, and perhaps a gear change, the son of Capitalist looks to have a bright future and can quickly return to the winner's list.

The performance of the day belonged to Cosmic Crusader, who announced himself as a genuine spring contender with a dominant first-up victory in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes. Resuming from a 224-day break and having his first start in Victoria, the former Western Australian Group 1 winner settled near the tail before unleashing a devastating burst along the inside to put the race away in a matter of strides. Now prepared by Andrea Leek, the five-year-old possesses an explosive turn of foot and looks capable of making his presence felt in races such as the Lawrence Stakes and Memsie Stakes over the coming weeks.

Thought Mahershala was brave when running third in the final race of the day. The Ciaron Maher-trained colt was forced to work hard after beginning awkwardly and racing keenly through the early stages in a genuinely run race. He pressed forward, put the favourite Cruiserweight under pressure before the home turn and looked the winner when he kicked clear, only to be run down in the final 50 metres. Considering the work he did throughout, it was a performance full of merit and he looks well placed to break through again with a kinder run next time.