Spring racing carnival hits top gear
The Caulfield Guineas is one of the biggest events on the Australian racing calendar and the 2016 edition of the race is a typically intriguing affair.
Sydney-based horses have dominated the Caulfield Guineas in recent years and the market suggests that we are in for more Sydney dominance on Saturday.
Impending and Divine Prophet fought out the finish in the Stan Fox Stakes – the race that has produced the past two winners of the Caulfield Guineas – and they are the clear favourites in the 2016 Caulfield Guineas betting market.
The Kiwi Sacred Elixir looks the main danger to the Sydney duo and he should only improve from his first-up victory in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
The Caulfield Guineas may be the feature event at Caulfield on Saturday, but the outstanding Winx will still be the star attraction.
Winx will take on Underwood Stakes winner Black Heart Bart in the Ladbrokes Stakes and she is an extremely short-priced favourite to record her 12th straight victory as well as her eighth win at the highest level of racing.
Chris Waller also has the favourite in the Thousand Guineas in the form of the talented Foxplay.
Foxplay stamped herself as a filly with plenty of ability with her victory in the Furious Stakes at Royal Randwick on September 3 and she overcame a very chequered run in transit to win again in the Tea Rose Stakes.
Her main danger and the only other horse available at single-figure Thousand Guineas odds is Gai Waterhouse-trained Global Glamour.
Global Glamour was beaten by Foxplay in both the Furious Stakes and Tea Rose Stakes, but she finally received a clear run in the Furious Stakes and she led from start to finish to record a maiden win at Group 1 level.
The Toorak Handicap is always one of the best betting races of the Spring Racing Carnival and the 2016 edition of the race will be no exception.
He’s Our Rokkii was set for the Toorak Handicap at the start of his spring preparation and the Lindsay Park-trained galloper has won five of his past six starts – including a three and a half lengths romp in the Sheen Ground Handicap.
Tosen Stardom has had a disrupted spring campaign, but at his best he is the class horse in this field and he looks to be the main danger to He’s Our Rokkii in the Toorak Handicap.
The Japanese import returned to the races with a fast-finishing fourth in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 3, but he suffered a cut to his leg during a float trip en route to Sydney for a clash with Winx in the George Main Stakes.
The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is always the main lead-up race to the Toorak Handicap and Bon Aurum is the latest horse that will attempt to complete the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes/Toorak Handicap double.
There are still question marks over the ability of Bon Aurum to run out a strong mile, but he was excellent in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and he has an outstanding record at Caulfield!