Caulfield Cup Tips - Runner-by-Runner Guide to the Caulfield Group 1 feature
- Runner-by-Runner Guide to the Caulfield Cup
- Who will take out the Caulfield Group 1?
- West Wind Blows tops our selections
The best guide toward the Melbourne Cup is the Caulfield Cup run over 2400m under handicap conditions.
First run in 1879, the Group 1 race has been won by some great staying horses including Tulloch (1957), Galilee (1966), Might And Power (1997) and Verry Elleegant (2020).
The 2023 edition sets up as a cracking race and we have gone through every horse and offered our to four selections below with the latest odds from Elitebet.
1. Gold Trip (11)
The 2023 Melbourne Cup winner shocked many when he scored another Group 1 victory in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last start.
He settled near last and had plenty of work to do when rounding the turn but showed his excellent turn of foot to put the field away in a matter of strides.
He will need to carry a big weight in this race but it will take a brave person to say he can’t do it considering he is in career-best form.
2. Without A Fight (7)
Comes into this race at just his second run this prep although he has some residual fitness from his winter campaign in Brisbane.
He won both starts during that prep which included the Q22 over 220m at Eagle Farm which had connections setting him for a tilt at the cups this spring.
Was beaten just over two lengths in the Underwood first up and will appreciate the step up in trip now.
3. Breakup (5)
The Japanese import makes his Australian racing debut in the 2023 Caulfield Cup and we all know how horses from this part of the world have performed in the past.
He’s an out-and-out stayer and while he’ll improve on whatever he produces in this race, there’s no doubting he is a winning chance.
Damien Lane will steer from barrier five.
4. Monetefilia (9)
It had been a while in between wins for the talented mare before she stormed clear in the concluding stages to win the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill last start.
She had to come across heels at the 200m in that race but once clear, she savaged the line to win impressively.
Fitness won’t be an issue and she is capable of producing a rating high enough to be competitive.
5. Francesco Guardi (15)
Chris Waller and James McDonald teamed up to win this race with Verry Elleegant in 2020 and are looking to repeat that feat this year.
Was beaten five length behind Gold Trip in the Turnbull but meets that horse 3.5kgs better at the weights.
I’m unsure whether he has the class to win a race of this quality and he seems short in the market when considering the tricky gate.
6. West Wind Blows (2)
Worked three deep to sit outside the leader in the Turnbull Stakes when making his Australian racing debut but fought on well to finish second.
He drops 2.5kgs from that race into this and he is sure to take benefit out of that run.
Will get a better run in transit from barrier two and is one of the leading contenders.
7. Nonconformist (19)
Finished within three lengths of the winner in the Caulfield Cup this time last year and drops 1kg.
Has raced at the highest level in all three runs this time in but has failed to place.
The barrier is of concern and I’m not convinced he’s going well enough to win the race.
8. Soulcombe (6)
Won the Listed Heatherlie Stakes first up at Caulfield and has subsequently been beaten less than two lengths at his past two starts.
The Chris Waller-trained four-year-old now gets out to a more suitable distance and has drawn to get a nice run in transit from barrier six.
His racing pattern means he’ll be a long way back but if there is plenty of speed on, he’ll be coming home late.
9. Duke De Sessa (14)
Is another that has been crying out for this sort of distance and in fact has two wins from as many starts at 2400m.
He found the line well in the Turnbull Stakes behind Gold Trip and drops 3kg. Not the roughest.
10. Hoo Ya Mal (8)
Liked that Nash Rawiller was more positive on him in the Hill Stakes where he settled second and only Montefilia went past him in the straight.
I expect Tim Clark to do the same from the good draw and he’ll appreciate the step up in distance at this stage of his prep.
11. Right You Are (13)
Has won 10 of 25 during his racing career including his only start at this distance.
Might just be lacking the class to be winning a Caulfield Cup.
12. Emissary (4)
Drawn well but like Right You Are, just isn’t up to this grade.
13. Goldman (18)
Was winning by big margins during his last campaign but hasn’t shown much in all three runs this prep at a lower level.
Barrier doesn’t help his chances.
14. Okita Soushi (12)
Joeseph O’Brien has had success in this country before and has sent this lightly raced son of Galileo over for the cups.
Has placed in all but three of his 12 career race starts and is two from three at 2400m.
Gets in with a very light race and with some luck, he can feature in the finish.
15. Fame (16)
The Peter Moody-trained horse finished second in the QLD Derby during the winter which opened up the opportunity for the cups.
Has been well beaten in a much lower grade this prep so far and would need to improve dramatically to be any chance.
No weight.
16. Bois D’argent (3)
Drawn well and the light weight helps but not up to these.
17. Spirit Ridge (10)
Placed in all three runs so far this prep including a narrow loss in the Group 1 Metropolitan last time out at Randwick.
Will be ready to peak at his fourth run and is being asked to carry just 50.5kg.
18. Valiant King (1)
Has just the one win to his name from seven career starts but has missed a place just twice.
He will need to go to a whole other level to be winning a Caulfield Cup but he won’t know himself with just 50kg.
19. United Nations (17)
Placed in his last three but at a much lower level.
Verdict
SELECTIONS
1ST: WEST WIND BLOWS
2ND: WITHOUT A FIGHT
3rd: DUKE DE SESSA
4TH: VALIANT KING
1ST: WEST WIND BLOWS
2ND: WITHOUT A FIGHT
3rd: DUKE DE SESSA
4TH: VALIANT KING
West Wind Blows
To Win
@6/1 - 2 Units
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