Two New Zealand-trained raiders sit first and second on the ballot for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude 2016 nominations ahead of this Saturday’s showdown on Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day.
JJ Atkins winning Kiwi Sacred Elixir is nominated to return to racing at Caulfield on Saturday in the 2016 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The traditional lead-up for three-year-old colts and geldings heading towards the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), held this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival on October 8, the $175,000 Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) attracted a bumper 24 nominations on Monday.
Heading the Caulfield Guineas Prelude ballot is the Tony Pike-trained Sacred Elixir from Cambridge in NZ, the Pour Moi gelding set to make his three-year-old debut with a first-up run down under.
A winner of three of his six starts to date, he hasn’t raced since a runaway 3.5 length victory at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins Stakes (1600m).
Rated a $9 chance in futures Caulfield Guineas betting at Ladbrokes.com.au he will improve stepping out over the mile in the Group 1, but 1400m first-up looks good for the Group 1 winner.
Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman also have a Kiwi raider in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude mix this weekend with the in-form Saracino shooting for a third win on the trot.
The Per Incanto colt saluted at home in Group 2 company in mid-August before travelling to Australia for the first time on September 10.
In that Flemington run a fortnight ago he enjoyed a win in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) and now chases his first win over further than that distance.
Saracino, Group 1 placed over 1400m in NZ, pays $15 in futures Caulfield Guineas betting and is the all-in $8 third favourite for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude this weekend.
Leading the pre-field Caulfield Guineas Prelude odds is the Team Hawkes-trained Divine Prophet ($3.60) who is $5 second favourite for next month’s Group 1.
Winner of the Group 3 Up & Coming Stakes (1300m) first-up at Randwick on August 20, the Choisir colt was last seen running under three lengths away fourth to Astern – now $3.80 favourite to win the Caulfield Guineas 2016 – in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) in Sydney two weeks ago.
Saturday will be Divine Prophet’s maiden Melbourne run if accepted and how he handles the opposite way of racing will be key to his chances.
The other best fancied three-year-old for the Prelude this weekend is the undefeated More Than Ready colt Evacuation ($6) prepared by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, who is yet to race in stakes company.
Other standout Caulfield Guineas Prelude nominees include the John O’Shea-trained Danehill Stakes runner-up Archives and Peter & Paul Snowden’s Snitzel colt Detective coming off back-to-back wins.
Check out the full Caulfield Guineas Prelude 2016 nominations below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to back your favourite three-year-olds this weekend and over the carnival at the right price!
2016 Caulfield Guineas Prelude Nominations
Caulfield Racecourse – 24/09/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 216x161x | SACRED ELIXIR (NZ) | G | 3 | Tony Pike | 1 | 57.5kg | 95 |
| 2 | 253×11 | SARACINO (NZ) | C | 3 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 2 | 57.5kg | 95 |
| 3 | 1216×45 | SEABURGE | C | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 3 | 57.5kg | 80 |
| 4 | 25x1031x46 | VALLIANO | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 4 | 57kg | 75 |
| 5 | 2x105x95 | GOOD STANDING | C | 3 | James Cummings | 5 | 57kg | 82 |
| 6 | 5x13x14 | DIVINE PROPHET | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 6 | 56.5kg | 82 |
| 7 | 2x2228x11 | DETECTIVE | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 7 | 56.5kg | 78 |
| 8 | 31×2 | ARCHIVES | C | 3 | John O’Shea | 8 | 56.5kg | 79 |
| 9 | 11×33 | THROSSELL | G | 3 | Ciaron Maher | 9 | 56.5kg | 71 |
| 10 | 122534 | WAZZENME | C | 3 | Stuart Webb | 10 | 55kg | 70 |
| 11 | 1×1 | EVACUATION | C | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 11 | 55kg | 69 |
| 12 | 11×0 | YU LONG SHENG HUI | C | 3 | Mick Price | 12 | 55kg | 70 |
| 13 | 229×13 | EL SICARIO (NZ) | G | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 13 | 55kg | 70 |
| 14 | 413×656 | REVOLVING DOOR | C | 3 | Clinton McDonald | 14 | 55kg | 70 |
| 15 | 1×367 | HARDHAM | C | 3 | Mick Price | 15 | 55kg | 66 |
| 16 | 26×1 | SO SI BON | C | 3 | Robbie Laing | 16 | 55kg | 63 |
| 17 | 1×32 | VIOLATE | C | 3 | Paul Banks | 17 | 55kg | 63 |
| 18 | 3×1 | BARBIE’S BOY | G | 3 | Louise Bonella | 18 | 55kg | 63 |
| 19 | 41×4 | I’M TELLING YA | C | 3 | Amy Johnston | 19 | 55kg | 64 |
| 20 | 315 | BEE JAY’S CHOICE | G | 3 | Shane Fliedner | 20 | 55kg | 62 |
| 21 | 9015 | LARRIKIN | C | 3 | Brian McGrath | 21 | 55kg | 62 |
| 22 | 0x10 | NORTHERN LION | C | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 22 | 55kg | 63 |
| 23 | 1 | MILWAUKEE | G | 3 | Michael Moroney | 23 | 55kg | 63 |
| 24 | 22 | LUCKY BEAU | C | 3 | Dean Binaisse | 24 | 55kg | 60 |
