A host of potential Group 1 VRC Derby-bound gallopers do battle in the 2020 Caulfield Classic this Saturday including the well-ed favourite Let’s Karaka Deel.
2019 Caulfield Classic winner Thought Of That. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
One of the key acts on the bumper 10-race Caulfield Cup Day card in Melbourne, this year’s Group 2 $250,000 Neds Classic (2000m) field is down to a dozen three-year-olds after the early scratching of Johnny Get Angry (2).
It is the nicely-bred Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Dundeel colt Let’s Karaka Deel sitting top of the Caulfield Classic odds at $4 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Drawn out in barrier 11 (into 10), the Dundeel colt is out to atone for his last start Flemington loss over 1800m behind fellow Caulfield Classic acceptor Cetshwayo.
Things didn’t go his way that day at HQ and at Caulfield stepping-up in distance he is tipped as the horse to beat heading towards the Group 1 $2 million Victoria Derby (2500m) on October 31.
Following closely in the Caulfield Classic betting markets are the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Albarado ($5) and the aforementioned last start Flemington winner Cetshwayo ($6) prepared by Melbourne Cup winning trainer Danny O’Brien.
Mark Zahra rides Albarado in the Cup Day showdown, the Kiwi-bred son of Savabeel coming off a close third when under a length beaten in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on October 3.
Two weeks between runs looks a good spacing for the progressive colt who is going up in grade and distance here but drawn better and tipped to handle the extra metres without a worry.
Cetshwayo has had only two starts and was an upset winner at big odds last time out, the Dundeel gelding out to prove that was no fluke in tougher company here.
Another last start winner in the mix is Redwood Shadow ($7.50) for the Group 1 winning training partnership of Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr, the untapped youngster drawn the outside alley.
Redwood Shadow enjoyed going up to a mile at Ballarat on September 30 for a solid win and has been kept fresh for his third start on Saturday looking towards the Derby.
The Matt Cumani-trained Hit The Shot ($9), yet another Dundeel progeny in the mix, rounds out the single-figure fancies and will be ridden by Fred Kersley on the weekend.
Tour Of Duty ($13) drawn well in barrier four for trainer Mike Moroney and the Lloyd Kennewell-trained Tordaire ($16) shape up as a couple of the potential value runners.
Click here for the latest Caulfield Classic 2020 odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Caulfield Classic Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3×165257 | CELESTIAL SOL |
Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 1 | 57kg | 64 | |
| 2 | 12×383 | ALBARADO (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Mark Zahra | 10 | 57kg | 67 | |
| 3 | 6x57x13476 | THE PRES |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Hugh Bowman | 12 | 57kg | 62 | |
| 4 | 03294 | JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ) | Denis Pagan | Lachlan King (a) | 2 | 57kg | 64 | |
| 5 | 81 | CETSHWAYO | Danny O’Brien | Jamie Kah | 6 | 57kg | 67 | |
| 6 | 58×12 | TRODAIRE |
Lloyd Kennewell | Craig Newitt | 7 | 57kg | 62 | |
| 7 | 54103 | EL SANTO |
Dan O’Sullivan | Billy Egan | 9 | 57kg | 62 | |
| 8 | 31 | REDWOOD SHADOW (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Jye McNeil | 13 | 57kg | 63 | |
| 9 | 184 | HIT THE SHOT | Matt Cumani | Fred W Kersley | 8 | 57kg | 63 | |
| 10 | 210 | LET’S KARAKA DEEL (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 11 | 57kg | 62 | |
| 11 | 2×762 | TOUR OF DUTY | Michael Moroney | Michael Dee | 4 | 57kg | 65 | |
| 12 | 9414 | MR ROGER (NZ) | Richard Laming | Luke Currie | 5 | 57kg | 62 | |
| 13 | 817 | TOKEN SPIRIT |
Robbie Griffiths | Damian Lane | 3 | 57kg | 62 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
