EXPERT RACING TIPS: CAULFIELD
CAULFIELD PREVIEW AND TIPS | EXPERT TIPS | SATURDAY AUGUST 31ST 2024
RAIL: True TRACK: Good 4
The rail goes from 9m to the true position which should make on-speed and nearer the rail an advantage, however that may be offset by strong Northwesterly winds on the day, which is coming across the track from the winning post to the chute start.
Best Bets
Jackson Oldham
LAY: 2. Recommendation (WIN) for 3 units (Rated at $3.90)
Recommendation has a commanding ratings profile on this field but has been doing it in good spots and in weaker races. He had a significant bias in his favour to record a dominant victory first-up then I thought last start was just a win all things considered. if Acromantula can get out of the gates here then I also think the map isn’t as plain and simple as it has been for him either.
lay
Jackson Oldham
BACK: 12. Expressiveness (WIN) for 3 units (Rated at $3.20)
Expressiveness strikes me as the here and now horse, she was really good first-up against a smart one and I like when horses run well from outside lead first-up, albeit it, it was a slow tempo. She gets the bombproof map here from gate four and a few of her more talented rivals will have to do things tough wide/swooping with big weights.
back
3. Sassy Boom
2. Rumbled Again
4. Lovazou
8. Street Delight
Betting Strategy
BACK: 3. Sassy Boom (WIN) for 2 units (Rated at $3.75)
Backing Sassy Boom, she’s never been one of mine and I thought her win at this track and distance last prep in a G2 was a bit of a fluke but her place in the market and her last start run behind Poifect suggests otherwise. She has jumped out like a rocket on two occasions and her stepping out over 1400m first-up with Shinn suggests plenty of intent.
13. Step Aside
12. Craig
1. The Open
4. Lethal Thoughts
Betting Strategy
BACK: 13. Step Aside (WIN) for 2 units (Rated at $3.85)
Firmly with Step Aside at the price, He is running better than his form suggests this preparation, first-up off 147-days on a heavy track isn’t the spot for him, then he was planted wide no cover this track and distance before never giving up the chase at Flemington over the mile. Looking through his form last prep, a firm deck and 1400m was where he ran his best ratings and he gets that with a cozy map.
No knock Craig, I thought his most dynamic runs were ridden cold in evenly run races, he got the job done close to a fast speed third-up but that flattened him for the following run. I think he gets into a tricky spot from the gate more often than not.
12. Rise To It
3. Mathew
13. Gentian Blue
14. Big Story
Betting Strategy
I thought the last start run of Rise To It had plenty of merit, carting the field up to the tearaway leader and sticking on very well, I like the gap between runs to get over that and the map looks good from the inside draw.
Mathew may be the value, he started $3.6 in a much harder race last start and pulled up with issues after getting keen in the run, the crossover goes on for the first time.
2. Duke De Sessa
3. Young Werther
1. Vow And Declare
11. Alder
Betting Strategy
Not a great opinion in the race now with the scratching of Aramco. Duke De Sessa on top but I do concede he is a myth of a horse who hasn’t won since touching down in Australia. He trialled so well prior to his first-up run this preparation that the early market installed him favourite off 217-days from gate 12 over a mile, that wasn’t his spot but he is getting fitter and probably should’ve gone close to winning last start, the last time Zahra was on board he finished in the placings in a Group 2 here at Caulfield.
1. Kallos
4. Arkansaw Kid
3. Chain Of Lightning
6. Nettuno
Betting Strategy
LAY: 2. Recommendation (WIN) for 3 units (Rated at $3.90)
Recommendation has a commanding ratings profile on this field but has been doing it in good spots and in weaker races. He had a significant bias in his favour to record a dominant victory first-up then I thought last start was just a win all things considered. if Acromantula can get out of the gates here then I also think the map isn’t as plain and simple as it has been for him either.
1. Growing Empire
4. Astapor
3. Stay Focused
6. Wonder Boy
Betting Strategy
A really tricky race for mine, Growing Empire is a live Coolmore hope, I loved both his efforts with the blinkers last preparation and his last jumpout with them on was sensational. The concern from a punting perspective is, the blinkers now come off, intent?
Stay Focused is another that I found hard to line up, they kept pushing his return back and the jumpouts have been underwhelming, I’m inclined to risk him.
12. Expressiveness
16. Aviatress
12. Caste
8. Extratwo
Betting Strategy
BACK: 12. Expressiveness (WIN) for 3 units (Rated at $3.20)
Expressiveness strikes me as the here and now horse, she was really good first-up against a smart one and I like when horses run well from outside lead first-up, albeit it, it was a slow tempo. She gets the bombproof map here from gate four and a few of her more talented rivals will have to do things tough wide/swooping with big weights.
5. Jimmy The Bear
10. Showmanship
11. Saint George
13. Rise At Dawn
Betting Strategy
I found the Heatherlie the trickest race of the day, Rise At Dawn just keeps going and going, surely the paddock is approaching, this is a tough test. Jimmy The Bear should’ve gone closer in the A1 form reference, the Lawrence last start, no knocks.
7. Pride Of Jenni
1. Mr Brightside
2. Aegon
3. Gentleman Roy
Betting Strategy
My market is pretty much bang on the current market, the slightest leaning towards Pride Of Jenni but If I’m to get involved betting these horses this preparation, first-up won’t be my spot to do it.
2. Another Wil
12. Earlswood
16. Snowman
11. Jennilala
Betting Strategy
The pattern of the day will be the most important for Another Wil, who is clearly the best horse in the race but has to lump the big weight and the wide gate.
CAULFIELD TIPS AND PREVIEW | RACECOURSE
SUMMARY
Known locally as ‘The Heath’, Caulfield Racecourse is located approximately nine kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in the city’s south eastern suburbs. Together with Sandown and Mornington racecourses, Caulfield is operated by the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC). It is widely considered Melbourne’s second most prestigious racecourse behind Flemington, hosting around 25 meetings each season including some of the country’s most famous and historic races, headlined by the Group 1 Caulfield Cup. For the best Caulfield tips, previews and all the form, head to the Betfair Hub.
FAST FACTS
Six internationally-trained horses have won the Caulfield Cup. They are: Taufan’s Melody (1998) for British trainer Lady Herries; All the Good (2008) and Best Solution (2018) for Godolphin’s Dubai trainer Saeed bin Suroor; Dunaden (2012) for French trainer Mikel Delzangles; Admire Rakti (2014) for Japanese trainer Tomoyuki Umeda; and Mer De Glace (2019) for Japanese trainer Hisashi Shimizu.
KEY EVENTS
Together with the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper, the Caulfield Cup makes up the four majors of Australian racing. It is the world’s richest turf handicap over 2400m and dates back to 1879. It was won in 2021 by Incentivise and in 2020 by Verry Elleegant, the two horses which then ran the quinella in the 2021 Melbourne Cup. In autumn Caulfield also hosts Victoria’s premier contest for juveniles, the Blue Diamond Stakes. A total of 12 Group 1 races are staged annually at Caulfield, with the prestigious Caulfield Guineas and the equivalent for fillies (the Thousand Guineas) both held the week before the Caulfield Cup. From three-year-old contests to handicap races for experienced stayers, Betfair’s leading team of tipsters bring you their Caulfield best bets for each and every meeting at The Heath.
TRACK PROFILE
The track is triangular-shaped, with a total circumference measuring of 2,080m and a home straight of 367m. Some horses struggle to handle the tight turns and contours of the track, with interference also common particularly in the Caulfield Cup which features 18 runners.
In 1995/96, the track was widened to 30m around the entire circumference and the straight was lengthened by 43m. The current surface has been cambered from the outside running rail, with the crown of the track at the outside running rail. The banking on the final turn into the home straight is four per cent, while the other turns have an equivalent banking of two per cent. Given the quirks of the track it pays to follow our tipsters when they bring you their Caulfield best bets free of charge on the Betfair Hub.
HISTORY
Originally the Victorian Amateur Turf Club (VATC) raced at Ballarat, but in 1876 the club moved to Caulfield for its Melbourne base having owned the land since 1859. Feature races were soon held at Caulfield, with the Caulfield Cup making its debut in 1879. The inaugural event was won by Newminster, whose name adorns one of the barns at Racing Victoria’s quarantine facilities in Werribee. During World War II, Caulfield was utilised as an army barracks so racing was moved to Flemington for the duration of the conflict.
