Sights will be set on Melbourne this afternoon for one of the biggest days on the Australian racing calendar and you can find all the 2018 Caulfield Cup Day results as they happen right here on the Neds blog!
It’s an overcast day in the greater Melbourne metropolitan region and the track has been rated in the ‘Soft’ range for 2018 Caulfield Cup Day. The rail will be set out six metres around the entire course.
2018 Caulfield Cup Day results will begin from 12:15pm AEDT when a smart field of three-year-old fillies step out for the QMS Media Plate (1400m).
2018 Caulfield Cup Day Results
Race 1 – QMS Media Plate Results
Zizzis has led all the way to take out the first on 2018 Caulfield Cup Day.
The filly stamped herself as a horse to follow through a smart debut preparation in autumn, but she was luckless in her first two starts this time.
Craig Williams took the filly straight to the lead after jumping from a wide barrier and was offered a clear line when arriving in the straight; locking in a fierce sprint battle with Khulaasa but kicking well to return to the winner’s stall.
“This preparation she just hasn’t run in the placings, but today they were quite confident,” Williams said after the race.
“I just thought in the finish that if I was beaten today, it would have been by the barriers.”
- Zizzis
- Khulaasa
- Zargos
Race 2 – Listed Gothic Stakes Results
Ranier has completed a perfectly-timed sprint to take out the Listed Gothic Stakes from Yulong January this afternoon.
Ranier looked a good thing beaten two weeks ago and jockey Hugh Bowman was determined not to get the horse caught in a pocket when he peeled him to the outside rounding for home.
The three-year-old needed the entire straight to get there but saluted to ultimately break his maiden at black type level.
“I wanted to get my horse into clear running, unlike last start, and he produced for us,” Bowman said after the race.
- Ranier
- Yulong January
- Wild Planet
Race 3 – Group 2 Caulfield Sprint Results
Eduardo has recorded a well-deserved black type win in only his fifth career start in the Caulfield Sprint.
Eduardo was unlucky not to win at Group 1 level down the Flemington straight last time out and did his chances of going one better this afternoon no harm we he jumped well and took an ideal position on the rails and on the heels of early leaders Super Too and Miss Leonidas.
Brian Park allowed the horse plenty of time to balance before asking for an extra effort and was greeted with a big turn of foot in the final 200m as Eduardo easily put away his rivals.
“I like the way he was able to switch off in the run and he was just super in the straight,” trainer Sarah Zschoke said of her first-ever Group winner.
“He’s just a really nice horse.”
- Eduardo
- She Knows
- Bons Away
Race 4 – Listed Alinghi Stakes Results
From Within has led from start to finish to defy a drift in Alinghi Stakes betting this afternoon.
The Queensland raider immediately took up the running after jumping well and set a fair tempo in transit alongside Working From Home and Grey Shadow.
The Not A Single Doubt mare kicked clear turning for home; a move that proved decisive when she held off the fast-finish Working From Home and Soothing.
Kerrin McEvoy delivered a gem of a ride to win the Alinghi Stakes on From Within and was quick to credit the training efforts of Toby Edmonds.
“She showed good gate speed and Toby has had her in good form – she’s been winning races at will up there (in Queensland),” McEvoy said.
“She’s a credit to herself and it’s really exciting to be involved with her,” Toby Edmonds said.
- From Within
- Working From Home
- Soothing
Race 5 – Group 3 Ethereal Stakes Results
Verry Elleegant has justified her clear favouritism by winning the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes by a length.
The Darren Weir-trained filly flew home to finish third in the Group 2 Edward Manifold on debut in Australia two weeks ago and she attracted huge interest in Ethereal Stakes betting leading up to jump.
She was slow from the gates this afternoon and jockey John Allen was really forced to work for his winner’s cheque, but the filly simply proved too good for her rivals when she was offered clear running in the straight.
Weir was glowing in his praise of Allen’s ride.
“She made it hard for him in the first 800m. He persevered, then got her head down and into a beautiful rhythm, then found all the gaps,” Weir said.
“Weh she got clear air late, she just builds and builds and builds.”
- Verry Elleegant
- Aristia
- Sizzleme
Race 6 – Group 3 Caulfield Classic Results
Thinkin’ Big has produced another huge effort to return to winning form in the Caulfield Classic.
The High Chaparral colt was luckless in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes last time out and still hit the line well, and he looked extremely well placed in this race.
Tim Clark led the horse to the lead after jumping well and enjoyed an easy time of it up front; kicking clear of his rivals turning for home and extending to beat Chapada by several lengths.
Thinkin’ Big is the early Victoria Derby favourite and trainer Gai Waterhouse said that she’ll let the dust settle before confirming his next target.
“We’ll sleep on it tonight, we don’t have to make up our minds immediately. We’ll just see how he comes out of today. He’ll stay all day,” Gai said.
- Thinkin’ Big
- Chapada
- Sikorsky
Race 7 – Group 3 Coongy Cup Results
Mask Of Time has produced a strong kick and bobbed his head at the perfect moment to dead heat the Group 3 Coongy Cup with Best Of Days.
Best Of Days was backed into $2.05 favouritism in the hours leading up to jump and took an ideal position in transit on the heels of Mask Of Time, who took up the running.
James McDonald was forced to wait for a run to open up when he held a position on the rails turning for home and he was greeted with a big turn of foot when the gap did come; locking in a fierce sprint battle with the Maher & Eustace-trained stayer.
A photo was required to confirm the result and the major prize was split.
1. Mask Of Time
1. Best Of Days
3. Life Less Ordinary
Race 8 – Group 1 Caulfield Cup Results
Best Solution has delivered Godolphin and Saeed Bin Suroor another major staying crown by winning this afternoon’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup.
The Kodiac stallion’s form has been simply outstanding this year and he won a pair of Group 1 races in Germany before arriving in Australia for his Cups campaign.
Pat Cosgrave settled the horse within the field after jumping well, but it was his decision to peel the horse out and up the tempo when the field approached the bend that ultimately proved decisive.
Locking in an exciting sprint battle with the Macedon Lodge runner Homesman, Best Solution’s quality shone through again as he took the $3 million winner’s cheque by a short head.
“It’s great for Best Solution to win a couple of Group 1s in Europe and come to Australia to win again, another great race,” Bin Suroor said.
“The horse is doing well and the Melbourne Cup is a big race. We’ll try.”
- Best Solution
- Homesman
- The Cliffsofmoher
- Duretto
Race 9 – Group 2 Tristarc Stakes Results
Shumookh has continued the outstanding run of form for leaders on 2018 Caulfield Cup Day by winning the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes.
Tim Clark took Shumookh straight to the lead from gate 11 this afternoon and set a reasonable tempo for her rivals in transit.
Kicking clear turning for home, the four-year-old only continued to improve up the straight and easily beat race favourite Invincibella and a fast-finishing Aloisia.
“She just got softened up a little but last start at the mile and got gobbled up,” Clark said.
“Back to 1400m, she’s rock-hard fit and really improved underneath me from the 600m. She really ran through the line strongly.”
- Shumookh
- Invincibella
- Aloisia
Race 10 – Group 3 Moonga Stakes Results
Sircconi has returned to winning form in his first start for John Sadler in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes.
Formerly saddled by Peter Morgan, Sircconi has returned to the track in typically competitive form this time and took a position close to the pace after jumping well this afternoon.
Offered a clear line when he arrived in the straight, Sircconi’s superior turn of foot was the difference as he powered away to beat Dreamforce and Perast.
- Sircconi
- Dreamforce
- Perast