CAULFIELD Saturday February 3
Rail goes out 9m from last meeting 6mm, 10mm irrigation overnight after forecast rain didn’t eventuate. Good 4 in the morning, typically improving Caulfield track through the afternoon. Dare I say it in advance, looks a straight-shooting meeting. That is form reads a little obvious for winners. But no early crowing, let’s do the work.
BEST BET: HANDSOME THIEF Race 5#1
BEST VALUE: MR CHURCHILL Race 7 #8
Race 1: 5-1-3-4
Inglis premier sales graduates chasing $250k here and if you saw KINKY BOOM trial on Monday, you’d say I’ll back that anywhere. And that’s here. By the “Boom” 1st season sire Spirit Of Boom, costing just $40k – so well sourced by McEvoy stable, she just jumped and galloped and said “I’m pretty good”. That will do me. MESSERSCHMITT ($140k by All Too Hard) has the experience was good resuming to beat one that had been well backed. GREY KHAN ($230k Dahlakani) doesn’t have a 2YO pedigree but has shown up in un-official Cranbourne trials. ARISTOCRATIC MISS ($65k Foxwedge) gets blinkers and 1200m – both of which will be a plus.
SUGGESTED: Back your eye and KINKY BOOM.
Race 2: 1-3-6-5
Tricky. Mick Price has two Inglis Premier sales graduates on debut here but obviously they were not ready for the 1200m so go at 1000m. Not saying no to them off jumpouts but have others in front. ENCRYPTION (Lohnro) did enough in good early season stakes races and has had a good recent jumpout. Hard to toss. LOGAN RIVER ($250k Snitzel) got it mostly wrong when whisked up to Sydney. Has blinkers and back to Melbourne suits. ENNIS HILL (Fastnet Rock-Hips Don’t Lie) also has a gear change since running into smart Ollivander on debut. SUNSET WATCH (Akeed Mofeed) was very good at the jumpouts.
SUGGESTED: Watch market, tipping ENCRYPTION but race has depth.
Race 3: 2-5-3-4
Good race but staying with TWITCHY FRANK who fired with blinkers and tactical brilliant at Flemington. Will make it’s own luck again, doesn’t have to lead, but from 2 will be positive. Stablemate LUCKY CAT wants 1400m and has a tongue tie added after good close at Caulfield in a different 1200m race. PARIS ROCK is proved at 1400m already with on pace domination Ballarat and form out of that good. EARTH ANGEL (ex Miss Finland) resumes, showed enough as juvenile when always a 3YO career looked more suitable.
SUGGESTED: Don’t switch away from TWITCHY FRANK.
Race 4: 5-1-6-4
It’s been a fruitful and long campaign for LAST WEEK but he’s got another week and win in him. Had BINT EL BEDU (same weights here) and AL HARAM (3kg turnaround) behind it at Flemington, DORNIER (same weights) in 4th. SAYED has some gear changes around the head here and is better for the 2000m run bringing him on for this.
SUGGESTED: Stay with LAST WEEK.
Race 5: 1-12-6-2
What – Weir again. Why not. HANDSOME THIEF should have won for mine resuming in similar race – albeit a BM84 and drops back to its own rating 78 here hence the maximum weight. His form around Mr Sneaky and Theanswermyfriend says that’s a low mark anyway and he should be winning here. Danger EURACK, unbeaten in 3 to date and off a mark of 73 here can graduate to better this autumn. Only query is all form on affected ground, know he handles it, might be better (no worse) on firm. MISS WONDERLAND went too keenly in the better Standish, better placed this level and don’t mind being drawn out for the one corner. STAR STEALER won by a margin at Kilmore (BM78) but doubt has the upside of top pick stablemate after 27 starts to reach it’s mark.
SUGGESTED: Stealing money – Handsome Thief.
Race 6: 3-1-2-5
Looks ideal race for SNITTY KITTY to resume in. Not telling you anything left field so far, but hoping races run to form and she’s just too good and slick here especially on home track where 3 from 5 and placed other 2. CRYSTAL DREAMER has fitness edge and was terrific here last time getting better well into a campaign. Have dropped off THERMAL CURRENT as a top selection after a little burning and only 1/16 Caulfield but he wouldn’t shock, sometimes though you have to back off (in the saver quaddie). NASDEX was good here 1100m last time, better at 1000m, but might find this tougher.
SUGGESTED: SNITTY KITTY to set an Oakleigh Plate target.
Race 7: 8-2-9-3
The market says WILLI WILLI v BEDFORD and well it might be, but I liked MR CHURCHILL last time at the big odds when got good run to get within ¾ lengths of WILLI WILLI and has a 3kg turnaround here. Not drawn as well but that’s my gamble, obviously respecting the tactically versatile Willi Willi and Bedford off a 6 lengths stroll at 2000m with 58kg and down to 54kg now. PORTION CONTROL is the other – been racing well, no recent wins. O’LONERA keeps out of trouble and likes the Caulfield 2000m.
SUGGESTED: Value MR CHURCHILL.
Race 8: 10-8-11-9
Am a fan of BRAVO TANGO, might be another race away, but keen to stay with it 2nd up at 1200m (after charging late – worse ground) fresh at Flemington. He’s on a Guineas path and with scratching of Prezado, really think it’s his race. CRYSTAL SPIRIT is fit and racing well and like them back from 1400m. POSEIDON’S IDOL might be the blowout chance. Won a maiden fresh and ended up a brilliant 3rd in a G3 at only 3rd start. I DID IT AGAIN can regroup this campaign. Obvious talent.
SUGGESTED: BRAVO TANGO to stake claims for future – now!
Race 9: 6-13-14-15
Not much between many of these, TROIGIR was unlucky behind THE AVENGER (ran Friday night) here in BM78 last time.. MANOLO BLAHNIQ only has 1 win (in NZ) but looks ready to win again. MALAISE an obvious inclusion off the back of dual wins. CHIPPENHAM, we liked last time when won and SHERRIF JOHN STONE also included. But there are other hopes for quaddie.
SUGGESTED: TROGIR top pick or a wide quaddie leg.
QUADDIE:
3
2-8-9
9-10-11
13-15
$18 for 100%
WIDE QUADDIE
1-2-3
1-2-3-8-9
1-9-10-11
5-10-11-13-15
$150 for 50%