Simon Marshall's tips for the Caulfield Cup
All eyes are on Jameka, the hot favourite ahead of this weekend's Caulfield Cup and according to Channel 7 racing expert Simon Marshall, the field faces a tough task trying to run her down over the 2400m.
"She will need some luck going out of the straight the first time," Marshall said.
"But if she can settle in one off the fence or lead by 1800m, she’ll be very tough to run down."
With plenty of international horses generating additional interest in this year's race, there's some intriguing outsiders in the field. Marshall has you covered with the best picks for Saturday's big race.
SIMON MARSHALL'S TIPS
12. Real Love: Primed for the race after winning last start carrying 58kg. Drops to 52kg, but has no problems running 2400m.
15. Sacred Master: Definitely my best roughie and has had recent success over the distance in Newcastle and Sydney.
11. Jameka: Proven at the distance, just needs luck from the barrier.
4. Scottish: If he can dictate terms out in front, he’ll be tough to run down.
LADBROKES PREVIEW
There is no doubt that Jameka is the pick of the local stayers in the Caulfield Cup field and it is no surprise that she is such a clear favourite in the 2016 Caulfield Cup betting market.
Jameka stamped herself as a genuine Caulfield Cup contender when she romped home to record a dominant victory in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 17 before she lost no admirers when she finished second behind Hartnell in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2.
It is somewhat of a surprise that a horse which has won just one of her past nine race starts is such a clear favourite for one of Australia’s biggest races, but you really can’t knock the form of Jameka whatsoever.
While Jameka has the edge over her local staying rivals, it is a much tougher task to line her up against the number of European stayers that have made the trip to Australia for the Caulfield Cup.
The pick of these foreign raiders looks to be Scottish.
The Godolphin-owned galloper is yet to make his debut at Group 1 level, but he goes into the Caulfield Cup off an impressive victory in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes (1799m) at York on August 20.
Scottish will be partnered by Kerrin McEvoy, who delivered Godolphin their only Caulfield Cup triumph when he steered All The Good to victory in the 2008 edition of the race.
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Godolphin’s great rivals Ballydoyle will be represented by Sir Isaac Newton, who brings somewhat mixed form into the Caulfield Cup.
Sir Isaac Newton was far from disgraced when he finished fourth in both the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2414m) at Ascot on July 23 and the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes (2092m) at York on August 17, but he was disappointing when tenth in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes (2011m) at Leopardstown on September 10.
Sir Isaac Newton has form around the renamed Exospheric (formerly known as Exosphere), who has the joined the care of Team Freedman since he arrived in Australia.
Exospheric flopped as a short-priced favourite in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (2414m) at Royal Ascot on June 18, but he returned to somewhat of his best form when third in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (2414m) at Newmarket on July 7 and fifth in the Juddmonte International Stakes.
Rounding out the European stayers in the 2016 Caulfield Cup field is German import Articus, who is raced by the same connections as 2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist.
Articus has not raced in such prestigious races as his European Caulfield Cup rivals, but he did win the Group 3 Maxios Hamburg (2000m) and was fifth in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis (2012m) at Munich last start.
Real Love is the only other local stayer that is available at single figure Caulfield Cup odds with Ladbrokes, while there has been support for Tally following his third place finish in the Turnbull Stakes.