Caulfield Blackbookers February 21 – Horses to follow from Caulfield on February 21

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

Very good return by the 2025 Blue Diamond winner. Devil Night was first-up and had no favours, settling outside the leader and facing the breeze in what developed into a sit-and-sprint. Pallaton had the run of the race, grabbing the split along the inside and producing the fastest 400m–200m split of the entire meeting, which ultimately proved the difference. But Devil Night didn’t shirk the task. He was pressured throughout, kept responding and actually produced the fastest last 200m of the race to reduce the margin late. He was giving away race fitness to the winner, who had the benefit of a run under the belt. With natural improvement and potentially getting out to 1400m this preparation, he looks ready to measure up in the major three-year-old races over the next month.

What a star she is. Eight starts, five wins and her last three victories have come by a combined margin of 10 lengths. First-up on Saturday and she simply refused to lose. She gave Salty Pearl a start, was held up from the 400m until squeezing into a narrow run near the 250m, then even made contact with the running rail when racing tight near the 150m — and still powered through to score. That’s what top-class fillies do. The clock backed it up and she showed a devastating turn of foot once clear. She looks to have come back bigger and better again this campaign and you would expect the stable to target the Group 1 fillies’ feature races over 1400m–1600m this autumn. The way she attacks the line suggests she’ll relish a mile. She’s right in the mix for the elite level races coming up.

Massive run at odds. A $61 chance stepping straight from a BM70 win into Group 3 company and she nearly pulled it off. Butternut Princess clocked the fastest last 200m of the entire meeting, which is no small feat on a day that featured multiple Group 1 races. She settled back, travelled strongly and unleashed late to just miss behind Bossy Benita. Her career suggests she has taken time to mature, but her recent pattern shows a mare that has now furnished physically and mentally. Since stepping to 1400m and beyond she has consistently been finishing off, and Saturday confirmed she might be up to this level. She looks ready for another crack at stakes grade and is clearly trending the right way.

Outstanding return by Buckaroo. Runner-up in last year’s Cox Plate and placed in three Group 1 races during the spring, the Chris Waller-trained seven-year-old resumed here and ran right up to that level. He settled midfield, travelled strongly and loomed as the winner at the 200m before just being outgunned late. There was clear improvement to come off the break and he gave every indication that he has returned in terrific order. He has proven himself at weight-for-age level and looks set for another big autumn campaign, with races like the All-Star Mile and Australian Cup well within reach. First-up over 1400m against elite opposition, it was another top run from Buckaroo.

Forget the finishing position — this was a run of enormous merit. Drawn barrier 16, Eternal Warrior was forced to settle towards the rear and then endured a genuine boxing match with Unit Five from the 350m to the 200m when attempting to secure clear running. He was held up rounding the home turn, made repeated contact while trying to force a passage and only really saw daylight inside the final 100m. When clear, he produced the fastest last 200m of the race. That’s significant in a Blue Diamond. On debut he defeated Stretan Ruler, who smashed them in Sydney on Saturday and is now second favourite for the Golden Slipper, so the form line is strong. With even luck, he finishes much closer. Stick with him wherever he goes next — he’s a colt with serious upside.

Don’t drop off her just yet. Point Barrow finished 5th as favourite but there were genuine excuses. First-up, she overraced badly in the early and middle stages, was awkwardly placed on heels approaching the 700m and lost an off-fore plate in running. She was also wearing a crossover noseband for the first time and may not have appreciated it. Despite racing too keenly, she was still within striking distance late in a high-pressure Group 1 sprint. Jamie Melham did note some disappointment post-race, but the filly returned to scale normally and there were enough mitigating factors to suggest forgiving the run. She’s a three-year-old taking on seasoned sprinters at 1100m first-up — that’s never easy. Out to 1200m, perhaps down the straight at Flemington where she can find her rhythm, she can bounce back quickly.