Matt Cumani and Michael Dee have combined with Kingofwallstreet ($7) to take out the Group 3 Caulfield Classic by a narrow margin over the fast-finishing China Sea ($7) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.
Even though the son of Dundeel entered the race as the only maiden, the three-year-old colt showed a strong will to win in the concluding stages, sustaining a long run out wide to claim his first victory at start number three.
West Indies ($19) and race favourite Keeneland ($1.90) settled at the front of the field and ran the race along at a sedate tempo before upping the ante at the 600m mark, which left Dee with no option but to start to make a run three-wide.
As the field entered the home straight, Keeneland and Kingofwallstreet appeared to be the only two winning chances; however, Luke Currie pushed China Sea through a gap on the inside to challenge the leading duo in the final 150m.
Kingofwallstreet and China Sea went head and head to the finish line, but it was the former who would get his head down on the line and stamp a VRC Derby claim ahead of the 2500m classic on November 2.
2024 Caulfield Classic replay – Kingofwallstreet
Matt Cumani was on course to speak about the victory.
“As soon as we were going there was a kind of crawl all the way around and I was very worried about it,” Cumani said.
“We thought that might happen, it happened last year as well and we wanted to try and be a bit closer this year but Mick Dee rode him beautifully and great to get the win.
“I just thought the angle was a bit tricky but he’s a tough little horse and it’s great to see him do well.
“I think he’ll relish the trip (of the VRC Derby) and I think over that distance he will be a bit more versatile.
“It was a good test today to see that he can break well and put himself in a decent spot.
“It was good to see him on some soft ground. I don’t think we’ll get that on Derby Day, but we could, and at least now we know he’s versatile.”
Michael Dee claimed his first victory on Caulfield Cup Day, and he spoke post-race.
“Yeah, it (the pace) was very slow. I popped out quite early down the side just to try and build into it and then the two leaders really quickened up and almost left us flat-footed,” Dee said.
“So I was lucky that we were in a position that we could really find our top and it was a good effort because I think the second horse actually was in front of us and credit to this horse, he really stuck his head out and he tried hard, so onwards to the Derby, I’m guessing.
“Well, I always felt confident.
“I was confident that he was really going to pick up, but it was just a matter of getting it out of him and not sure he really had the confidence to go past those other two and put them away.
“I felt like there was a little bit left in the tank and it was a ding-dong to the line, but I felt like he was doing his best work that last 50 metres. So it’s good signs going forward.”
Kingofwallstreet is now an $11 chance with horse racing bookmakers in the Group 1 VRC Derby futures markets.
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