Caulfield tips, value bets & quaddie picks | October 13, 2021

Race 1: 3YO BM70 Handicap (1600m)

The opening event on Thousand Guineas Day is for the three-year-olds over 1600m, and we expect the Patrick Payne-trained Douceur to build on his last-start defeat to Queen Of Dubai. Having chased home Queen Of Dubai and Zouzarella in the Jim Moloney Stakes at Sandown on September 25, he should appreciate dropping back to BM70 grade on Wednesday. He was only defeated by 3.3 lengths on that day, and considering those two rivals are going around in the Thousand Guineas later in the program, it looks to be the form to follow here. From barrier two, Douceur looks set to get the run of the race, and with Michael Dee on board it looks to be only bad luck that gets him beat.

Selections: 5-3-1-6

Race 2: Coongy Cup (2000m)

Win and you are into Saturday’s Caulfield Cup; that is what is on offer for the winner of the Group 3 Coongy Cup. We declared Floating Artist as our best bet of the day last Saturday in the Herbert Power Stakes, before he was ultimately scratched and saved for the Coongy. This looks to be much easier than the Herbert Power, and despite needing to go into the Caulfield Cup on a three-day backup, the rock-hard fitness of the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained runner should prove beneficial. He has strung together three wins in succession, and with a win over Defibrillate and Persan two runs back, he should be simply too classy for his rivals here.

Selections: 3-2-1-6

Race 3: BM78 Handicap (2000m)

The return of Alcyone this campaign has been nothing short of sensational, having won when first-up at Sandown and then going down by a length to the smart Mr Brightside at Flemington on September 22. The four-year-old son of Teofilo comes to Caulfield for the first time and from barrier five is set to find a nice spot in the moving line. With Damien Oliver sticking on board, we expect to see Alcyone settle in the first half a dozen. We know Alcyone is armed with a strong turn of foot, and he should ultimately prove too hard to hold out.

Selections: 9-4-8-11

Race 4: BM84 Handicap (2400m)

Taramansour has now strung together three wins in succession this campaign and does not look like slowing down. Having won consecutive races on the Pakenham synthetic, he went to Swan Hill on September 10 and accounted for his rivals there. This is another step up in company, but he has shown no signs that we should jump off him now. With four weeks between runs and Fred Kersley retaining the ride, we expect to see Taramansour settle in the second half of the field, make his run 600m out from home and ultimately prove too hard to hold out.

Selections: 5-2-10-11

Race 5: BM84 Handicap (1400m)

In the opening leg of the quaddie, we anticipate the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained Frankie Pinot will continue his fantastic form this campaign. With two wins and three runner-up performances this time in, the South Australian-based son of Your Song looks to be using this as a stepping stone towards a nicer race in the second half of the Spring Carnival. Having chased home the smart Sirileo Miss at Sandown on September 25 and only going down by three-quarters of a length, that form should hold up well here. He will be giving his rivals a head start when entering the home straight, but under a well-timed steer from Luke Currie, we expect Frankie Pinot to be finishing over the top.

Selections: 9-13-11-10

Race 6: Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m)

The Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes has attracted a strong field of 12 three-year-old sprinters, and despite the out-and-out class of Profiteer, we have sided with the Chris Waller-trained Minsk Moment. Having made it two wins from as many starts with his victory at Moonee Valley on September 24, the three-year-old son of I Am Invincible showed a dynamic turn of foot when asked to quicken by Brett Prebble. From barrier 11, he will need a touch of luck early on, but if he is afforded that and can find a spot close to the speed, he should take plenty of holding out and go on to a Group 1 on VRC Derby Day.

Selections: 8-1-6-4

Race 7: Thousand Guineas (1600m)

In the 2021 edition of the Thousand Guineas, we are siding with the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Zouzarella. She went down by a length in the Jim Moloney Stakes, but she looks to be screaming out for the 1600m. If she brings the sort of effort that saw her begin her career with two straight wins, Zouzarella will prove simply too good for her rivals.

See our full runner-by-runner preview of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas

Selections: 1-3-4-8

Race 8: Ladies Day Vase (1600m)

The final event on Thousand Guineas Day is the Group 3 Ladies Day Vase, where we are hoping the Symon Wilde-trained Sirileo Miss can send us home a winner. Considering Frankie Pinot is a big chance earlier in the card and Sirileo Miss easily accounted for that horse at Sandown on September 25, she should be incredibly hard to beat here. From barrier four, look for Linda Meech to have the Pride Of Dubai mare settled in the one-one position, where she can then ask for an effort upon cornering and put them to bed.

Selections: 9-6-1-3