Caulfield Racing Tips for February 22- Freedman stable set to fire early, while Mr Brightside to go back-to-back in the Futurity Stakes

We have the best bets picked from across the meeting with a Best Bet and other value selections for Caulfield racetrack.

It remains to be seen whether Tonkin lines up here as connections also accepted for Moonee Valley Friday. Should she be seen at Caulfield, the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained galloper in the Godolphin blue can measure up after running her rivals ragged at Moonee Valley on January 24, cruising to a four-length win ahead of La Vie En, while there was a similar gap back to 3rd. She ran quick time that evening, going a healthy 8.5 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the best last start benchmark figure of any runner in this race. She might have improvement to come and gets in on the minimum weight, while she draws perfectly in barrier 3 with Craig Williams to ride. 

Tropicus can chalk up his first win since an impressive performance as a two-year-old at Caulfield last year in May. The Freedman galloper has been up against the best since then over slightly longer trips in the Golden Rose (1400m) and the Caulfield Guineas (1600m). He sticks to shorter distances this time around and resumed with a solid runner-up performance behind Royal Insignia at Caulfield on January 25. He was just a tad keen early on but kept coming to just miss out. The son of Too Darn Hot drops slightly in grade and gets the blinkers on for the first time. 

Mr Brightside can claim back-to-back victories in the Futurity Stakes. After a strong runner-up finish in the CF Orr Stakes, he again proved his class by holding a large gap on the rest of the field despite being forced to work early. The Team Hayes galloper is proven over the 1400m at Caulfield with five wins from seven attempts, though he'll need to contend with a wide barrier again. Craig Williams is expected to manage the wide draw well, either positioning him forward of midfield or allowing him to sit three-wide up front. Despite potential tactical challenges, Mr Brightside’s class and stamina make him a likely winner, especially given that the race doesn’t appear to have a standout challenger.

Jimmystar is a strong contender in the 2025 Oakleigh Plate, boasting an electrifying finish and a solid first-up record. He won his first-up race last spring at Caulfield over the 1100m, defeating strong competition, including the likes of Ashford Street and Rey Magnerio. While he faces a challenging draw from barrier 14, the wide barrier might actually work to his advantage, allowing jockey Ethan Brown to find cover and position him to finish strongly. With a solid tempo expected, Jimmystar is well-suited to make a late charge.