Nine races will be run and won on Chairman’s Stakes Day at Caulfield this weekend, including three black type features. The rail will be set out nine metres around the entire course at Caulfield for Chairman’s Stakes Day and at the time of publish, the track has been rated a ‘Good 4’.
Seven two-year-olds will contest this year’s edition of the Inglis Premier and of those juveniles, only two have previous race day experience. Messerschmitt resumed for a smart win over 1100m at Ballarat on January 24th, but clearly faces a step up in class here. The All Too Hard Colt debuted for fourth in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield in October and appears to have above-average ability. Aristocratic Miss is the only other horse with exposed form and she has so-far finished third in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) and a 1000m sprint at Morphettville Parks (1000m) on January 20th. Her stable mate Kinky Boom is set to jump the race favourite on debut here, following a convincing barrier trial win at Morphettville. There is simply too much that could happen in a field of two-year-olds, most of which on debut and I am happy to stay out of this from a betting perspective.
The Chairman’s Stakes is generally a good form reference for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in three weeks’ time and has been won by the likes of Formality and Extreme Choice in recent years. There is a total of five debutants set to step out in the Chairman’s Stakes and at the time of publish, the Team Hawkes-trained Sunset Watch is a $3.70 favourite, despite having not had a public trial. South Australian raider Chicago Typewriter has drawn ideally into the Chairman’s Stakes field in barrier 3 and is available at genuine each-way odds of $13/$3.50 after firming from an opening quote of $16. The Street Boss colt was an easy winner at Gawler on debut, before finishing second at Morphettville Parks last time out. This is a step up in class, but he can go close again. One horse the warrants attention in this market is the Godolphin-trained Encryption ($4.50), who will jump from barrier 4 with Damian Lane in the saddle. Encryption finished third in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) on debut in October before running well to finish a close second behind Run Naan in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m). His experience will count for plenty and he has reportedly taken plenty of benefit from a freshen-up.
Race 3 has drawn only seven three-year-old fillies, but there is a case to be made for close to every runner. Twitchy Frank ($2.70) has posted three wins from four career starts and is primed for another big performance here. The daughter of Choisir suffered her only career defeat to date when a close second Light Romance over 1300m at Sandown on December 30th but responded with a comfortably win at Flemington last time out. With claiming apprentice Ethan Brown in the saddle, she will carry only 58kgs and will be hard to run down. Paris Rock ($2.90) is yet to taste anything but success through her short career and at the time of publication, is the clear market mover after opening at odds of $3.50. This is a step up in class, but jockey Damien Thornton retains the ride and can steer the filly close again. Lucky Cat ($5.50), the first-up Earth Angel ($5.50) and Memory Bank ($10) all have the ability to win this race, with appropriate luck in running.
Race 4 has also drawn a reasonably open field, but I am leaning towards the Darren Weir-trained Last Week ($2.45), who appears likely to jump race favourite once more. Last Week returned to winning form with an impressive performance on pace at Flemington last time out; beating home a similar field to this by a length-and-a-half. He’s carrying only 54kgs here and the slight drop in the distance won’t make a difference. Sayed ($6.50) is an outstanding stayer on his day, but failed to fire last weekend and will need to improve drastically if he is to return to winning form here. The Stormy Atlantic gelding is undoubtedly at his best over a mile-and-a-half however and has a sound third-up record. Al Haram ($4.40) has steadily built to the task this time, while Bint El Bedu ($5) is rock-hard fit and is capable under the conditions and amongst this quality of company.
There are winning chances drawn across the field in Race 5 and it looms as an open race from a betting perspective. Star Stealer ($8) carries winning form into this races and looms as a live chance, should he be able to overcome the outside barrier. The Time Thief gelding flew home to score by nearly six lengths at Kilmore last time out and if he can replicate that performance, will be tough to hold out. Handsome Thief ($4.40) resumed for a credible third over course and distance in early January and will take plenty of improvement into this. The Shamardal entire will carry an extra 3kgs second-up, but has the right hoop in Craig Williams aboard on Saturday. Highland Beat has never won at Caulfield, but he has a class edge on most of this field and is worth consideration at each-way odds of $16/$4.60. The Exceed And Excel gelding can find a position behind the pace from a wide draw before looking to run on late. In-form hoop Jamie Kah is a positive booking. I will be having a couple of small each-way bets on Star Stealer and Highland Beat at current odds.
The WJ Adams Stakes will feature just seven sprinters this year and Snitty Kitty looms as the obvious horse to beat. Snitty Kitty has fast become the stable star for Henry Dwyer and was outstanding through the recent Spring Carnival; winning both the ITalkTravel Plate (1100m) and Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) with complete ease. This is an easier race than the latter and she will take plenty of beat here. She is currently fluctuating around the $2 and anything better than even money is great value. Crystal Dreamer ($5) is seeking a third-consecutive win; a run of form which included a near three-length triumph in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1000m) in November.
Ten horses will step out in the seventh, but it’s shaping as a race between two in Willi Willi ($3.40) and Bedford ($2.25). Willi Willi justified his favouritism with an impressive win at Flemington last time out and will be ridden by Craig Williams here, who has piloted the horse to three previous wins. The son of Mint Lane will have no issue finding the early pace from barrier 4 and will give them something to chance again. Bedford will also carry winning form into this race and has a 4kg pull on Willi Willi. The Tavistock gelding has posted two wins and as many minors through his four starts this time in and was last seen delivering a smart field a six-length defeat over course and distance on January 17th. Willi Willi did appear to weaken slightly in the dying stages of his most recent start and a step up to 2000m could mean that Bedford has the edge here.
We are set for an open edition of the Manfred Stakes as several horses chasing bigger targets continuing tuning up. Cliff’s Edge ($9.50) was a standout for Darren Weir through the recent Spring Carnival and will launch his Derby campaign in the Manfred Stakes. The Canford Cliffs continued to improve with an increased trip; finishing second in the Listed UCI Stakes (1800m), winning the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) and finishing second behind Aloisia in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) before ending his campaign sixth in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m) amongst open company. He can take up the running from barrier 5 here and on class alone, can win. Trainer James Cummings has elected to scratch Veranillo ($16) from a lesser Rosehill sprint on Saturday to run in the Manfred Stakes and that could be an indicator of his confidence in the horse. The son of Medaglia D’Oro resumed for second behind Del Piero over 1000m at Ballarat after weakening late and should take plenty of improvement into this. Overshare will need to do some work to cross the field from the outside barrier but with improvement, he can finish in the places here. He’s already attracted some interest at odds and firmed from an opening quote of $41 into $21 at the time of publish.
The only capacity field of the card has been drawn to the final race and it is shaping as a good opportunity to take advantage of value late in the day. Malaise has been racing well this time and is seeking a third-consecutive win here. Another live chance for Godolphin at Caulfield, Malaise won the Australian Turf Club BM80 (1400m) in a photo on January 6th before digging deep to win over the same distance at HQ last time out. Damian Lane will retain the ride but will need luck from a sticky draw. King’s Command has teadily built to the task this time and should be ready to peak fourth-up here. King’s Command was caught at the tail of the field in the Alex Burrows BM78 (1400m) on January 7th but produced a slick turn of foot to run on for a credible sixth. He was far better for third last time, can settle closer to the pace from barrier 2 and appears to be the value in this field.