Caulfield full racing tips & best bets | Saturday, September 17

Race 1: BM78 Handicap (2000m)

Opening races do not get much tougher than what greets punters at Caulfield on Saturday where a massive field of 12 stayers face the starter. Global Gift had plenty of excuses when finishing third at Moonee Valley on September 3 when forced to travel three wide up on speed throughout. He chased smartly in the home straight despite the wide run and eventually did well to go down by two-lengths to Pounding over 1600m. The step up to 2000m looks ideal based off that run and with Jacob Opperman on board claiming 2kg, he goes around with just 58kg on his back which looks to be a big advantage. Look for Opperman to settle Global Gift outside of expected race leader Fengarada and with a bit of luck, the weight relief proves beneficial in the concluding stages.

• 1
  

  GLOBAL GIFT

• 3
  

  FENGARADA

• 8
  

  HEAD OF STATE

• 12
  

  PRES DE TOI

Race 2: Super Vobis 3YO Plate (1000m)

Outside of race favourite Xtravagant Star, Godolphin bring a strong trio to this event, and we anticipate last start Hawkesbury winner Renosu can go on with the job here. The Exceed And Excel colt had always been touted as one with above average ability, but had struggled to put it all together on race day. He managed to give a kick as leader on the home turn last time out and considering there looks to be plenty of speed in a race like this, it looks perfectly set up for the in-form Craig Williams to take a sit off the speed and present Renosu with the last look at his rivals.

• 2
  

  RENOSU

• 6
  

  XTRAVAGANT STAR

• 3
  

  LASCARS

• 8
  

  KIN

Race 3: Mares BM90 Handicap (1400m)

The Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Zouzarella will be out looking to break a run of outs that stretches back over 12-months. She has not tasted success since her win in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes last spring, but strikes quite the winnable race on Saturday. She was far from disgraced behind Chain Of Lightning last time out in the Cockram Stakes and was only beaten a touch over two-lengths by subsequent Flemington winner Kissonallforcheeks. She is a mare with plenty of ability on her day and considering Brett Prebble sticks on board, she should prove hard to hold out. Look for Zouzarella to be rounding her rivals up approaching the home turn and if she can let down with intent, she looks to be a class above her rivals.

• 6
  

  ZOUZARELLA

• 9
  

  ADELE AMOUR

• 11
  

  LA ZUCCA

• 5
  

  PRIDE OF JENNI

Race 4: Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m)

Aft Cabin lost no admirers when finishing second to Jacquinot in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes and we expect he will bounce back in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude. The three-year-old colt was help up for a run at the top of the home straight, whilst the eventual winner was building through his gears in clear air. Once clear, Aft Cabin still managed to put close to two-lengths on his rivals to suggest he was worth sticking with at his next start. The $2.50 on offer with Ladbrokes for him, in a race that is no harder looks a perfect price to load into. From barrier six, Jamie Kah should have no traffic issues this time round, and we should see the best of Aft Cabin this weekend.

• 2
  

  AFT CABIN

• 1
  

  OSPIENKO

• 8
  

  JAPANESE EMPEROR

• 7
  

  AMENABLE

Race 5: Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m)

As always, the three-year-old fillies do not have much separating them and that speaks volumes in a race like the Thousand Guineas Prelude considering it is $6 the field with online betting sites. We’re on the hunt for some value in the Prelude and we are happy to side with Proscenium Arch who looked to throw away a win at Moonee Valley. The So You Think filly crabbed around the home turn when registering a handy lead, only to throw it away on the home turn. She managed to knuckle down in the home straight and was beaten a half-head in the end to suggest she was a filly worth following. From barrier three on Saturday, look for Daniel Moor to stalk the speed throughout and with a bit of luck, the blinkers going on for the first time helps her gain focus at the right time. She was beaten under two-lengths by Berkeley Square two starts back and that sort of form stands out in a race like this.

• 10
  

  PROSCENIUM ARCH

• 5
  

  BOOGIE DANCER

• 1
  

  SHE’S LICKETYSPLIT

• 2
  

  REVOLUTIONARY MISS

Race 6: Naturalism Stakes (2000m)

The Group 3 Naturalism Stakes kickstarts the quaddie on Saturday and following an eye-catching run first-up, Shereaz looks to present great value. The Chris Waller-trained five-year-old managed to find the front with 100m to go in the Listed Heatherlie, before Emissary finished the better over the mile. The step up to 2000m looks to suit Sheraz second-up considering he tends to improve with a run or two under the belt. Out of the two, Emissary tends to fire fresh and struggles after that, so on paper Sheraz looks the bet in the Naturalism. From barrier 14, Damien Oliver will have this bloke settled towards the rear and with a strong finish, Sheraz looks the one to beat in this.

• 4
  

  SHERAZ

• 1
  

  GOLD TRIP

• 14
  

  UNCLE BRYN

• 11
  

  EMISSARY

Race 7: Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m)

The Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is the feature event on Saturday afternoon and a capacity field of 16 horses are looking to snare Group 1 glory. Race favourite I Wish I Win is the second emergency, so needs a couple of scratchings, but outside of the former Kiwi, it looks to be a wide open edition of the Sir Rupert Clarke.

Click here for our full runner-by-runner preview of the 2022 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Race 8: How Now Stakes (1200m)

Our best bet of the day is due to step out in the Group 3 How Now Stakes, with the Peter Moody-trained Chain Of Lightning looking to take her record to an impressive six wins from six starts. She deadset smashed her rivals in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes when beating home She’s All Class and subsequent Flemington winner, Kissonallforcheeks. She continually steps up the mark and, in all fairness, this race is no harder than her last start triumph. The Fighting Sun mare will need a touch of luck from barrier 11, but if Jamie Kah can have her settled with cover in the moving line, Chain Of Lighting has an elite turn of foot and should prove too good once again for this.

Selections: 4-7-3-8 (Best bet banner)

• 4
  

  CHAIN OF LIGHTNING

• 7
  

  ISOTOPE

• 3
  

  ARGENTIA

• 8
  

  SHE’S ALL CLASS

Race 9: Handicap (1100m)

We round out a massive day of Group 1 racing with an 1100m sprint that sees plenty of combatants looks to kick off their spring on the right note. Having progressed through the grades last campaign, the Grahame Begg-trained Rose Quartz will be looking to build on her flawless first-up record when she resumes on Saturday. Having won both of her races when resuming, the five-year-old mare will no doubt handle the task and showed in her trial on August 9 that she is more than capable on rain-affected going. She is drawn barrier five and draws to gain the suck run in transit behind expected leader In The Boat. If she gains clear air at the top of the straight, we expect Rose Quartz to trot pass the leaders and show her Group 1 potential.

• 12
  

  ROSE QUARTZ

• 1
  

  IN THE BOAT

• 4
  

  SERADESS

• 2
  

  INGRATIATING