A capacity field of three-year-olds faces off in the Group 1 $3 million Neds Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in Melbourne on Saturday with updated markets led by the James Cummings-trained Golden Mile.
2022 Caulfield Guineas favourite Golden Mile drew ideally in barrier five for Saturday’s $3 million feature. Photo: Steve Hart.
Godolphin’s runaway Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Aft Cabin was the pre-post favourite for this year’s event, but markets were thrown open last Saturday with the horse scratched after bleeding from both nostrils in trackwork.
With Aft Cabin sidelined for the mandatory three months following the incident, the stable will still saddle-up Saturday’s top elect with Golden Mile drawn a treat in barrier five.
The Astern colt won the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) two back by over three lengths and was last seen running a good fourth in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) behind Jacquinot in Sydney.
That looks a strong form line to follow south into the Caulfield Guineas field with Golden Mile to be ridden by James McDonald.
Just two acceptors are at single-figures in Caulfield Guineas betting at Ladbrokes.com.au with Golden Mile ($3.60) joined at the top of the markets by Berkeley Square ($5).
The Dan O’Sullivan-trained gelding also fared well in Tuesday’s Caulfield Guineas barrier draw coming up with gate seven for his hoop Craig Williams.
Berkeley Square chases a third straight win having won back-to-back 1400m races at Flemington, the latest of which was in the Listed Exford Plate (1400m) on September 10.
Third in that race was the Ben & JD Hayes-trained American Pharoah colt Tijuana who went on to frank the form with his Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) victory at Moonee Valley.
Tijuana now lines-up in Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas field in gate 10 already proven at the mile and paying $10 to do the double last completed by Whobegotyou (2008).
The other best out of the Stutt Stakes from September 23 is the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes-trained Foujita San, the nicely-bred Maurice colt having run second.
Foujita San is drawn the widest for the rematch in the Guineas with the outside barrier and is only rated a $31 shot to overcome the gate.
The two Caulfield Guineas Prelude place-getters both drew wide with the Lloyd Kennewell-trained Meridius ($16) in gate 16 and Lonhro colt Amenable ($13) in 14.
Kennewell is quietly confident his consistent Extreme Choice Meridius has what it takes to run a big race at odds on the weekend on the back of his brave second in testing conditions in the Prelude.
“It’s good that he’s floating under the radar a little,” Kennewell told RS NewsWire.
“No-one is really tipping him but he’s going about doing his business and he gives you 110 per cent when he races.
“After Saturday, he could be a valuable colt.
“He’s had a faultless preparation. He has gone from 1200 metres, which was good, to 1400 metres, which was great, and he’s up to the mile and it’s Grand Final Day on Saturday.
“He’s got a good turn of foot and he finishes off strongly. He’s the sort of horse that you want for the Guineas.”
The other key chances looking at the markets are the rails-drawn Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Elliptical ($12), last start Sandown winner Bank Maur ($16) and Peter Moody’s Zoustar colt Millane ($18) coming off an eighth in the Golden Rose with excuses.
The 2022 Caulfield Guineas is the marquee race on Saturday’s Caulfield card that features a further two Group 1 races with the running of the Toorak Handicap and Neds Might And Power Stakes.
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