As part of the action of this Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas Day, six of spring’s top gallopers will take to the Caulfield track to contest the $400,000 Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m).
The 2010 Yalumba Stakes field is lead by Cox Plate champion So You Think who will start the hot favourite in the weight-for-age showdown.
Short priced favourite to make it back-to-back Cox Plate wins this year, Bart Cummings’ So You Think hasn’t missed a beat this spring winning the Memsie Stakes first-up last month before coasting to victory in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield three weeks ago.
Stepping up to 2000m on Saturday will suit the High Chaparral four-year-old, who will jump from barrier three with Steven Arnold aboard.
Cummings will also start Empires Choice in the Yalumba, the Redoute’s Choice seven-year-old coming back into spring contention after finishing an eye-catching third in the Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick last Saturday.
So You Think’s biggest threat will come from Mark Kavanagh’s warhorse Whobegotyou, jumping from barrier five with Michael Rodd in the mount.
A proven weight-for-age performer, five-year-old Street Cry gelding Whobegotyou finished second to So You Think in the Memsie before running his rivals ragged in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley last start.
Other horses accepted for the Yalumba Stakes are Master O’Reilly drawn on the rails with barrier one, Kiwi gelding Red Ruler, and last year’s beaten Melbourne Cup favourite Alcopop.
Alcopop has had an average season to date most recently running fifth in the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley, but trainer Jake Stephens has stated the Jeune gelding is nearing peak fitness and expects improvement from him on Saturday.
The headline race at Caulfield this Saturday is the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) where Toorak Toff and Ilovethiscity are the hot favourites.
Other feature races worth a punt on at the meeting include the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m), Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) and the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), where the likes of Moudre, Linton and Precedence will attempt to win a Caulfield Cup ballot exemption.
The best betting markets on all the Caulfield races this weekend will be found at [sportsbet], so sign up with Australia’s leading online bookie now to get in on the action!
2010 Yalumba Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Weight (kg) | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MASTER O’REILLY (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Dwayne Dunn | 1 | 59 | 108 |
| 2 | WHOBEGOTYOU | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 5 | 59 | 117 |
| 3 | RED RULER (NZ) | John Sargent | Mark Du Plessis | 2 | 59 | 107 |
| 4 | EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ) | Bart Cummings | Damien Oliver | 6 | 59 | 104 |
| 5 | ALCOPOP | Jake Stephens | Mark Zahra | 4 | 59 | 106 |
| 6 | SO YOU THINK (NZ) | Bart Cummings | Steven Arnold | 3 | 58 | 120 |
