It’s one of the biggest days of the Melbourne Spring Carnival and you can keep up with all the 2018 Caulfield Guineas Day results as they happen right here on the Neds blog!
Its been a fine week in the great Melbourne metropolitan area and the Caulfield track has been rated a ‘Good 4’ for 2018 Caulfield Guineas Day. The rail will remain in the True position around the entire course.
A fresh crop of two-year-olds will get the Caulfield Guineas Day action underway with the running of the Listed Inglis Debutant Stakes (1000m) and 12:50pm AEDT while the first of four Group 1 races, the Thousand Guineas (1600m) will be contested at 3:10pm
2018 Caulfield Guineas Day Results
Race 1 – Listed Inglis Debutant Stakes Results
Champagne Boom has mustered an eye-catching turn of foot to win the first on debut at Caulfield this afternoon.
By exciting second-season sire Spirit Of Boom, Champagne Boom was a drifted in Inglis Debutant Stakes betting prior to jump, but enjoyed a good run in transit before easily putting away her rivals in the final 200m.
Jockey Craig Williams was impressed with the performance and believes that Champagne Boom will only improve off the run.
“I’ve had two jump outs on her and they’ve done a really good job with her,” Williams said.
“She didn’t begin well but most importantly, she had a good finish.”
- Champagne Boom
- Biscara
- Wedgetail
Race 2 – Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes Results
Iconoclasm has easily put away his rivals to win the Weekend Hussler Stakes by two lengths.
The son of Toorak Toff was rock-hard fit for this afternoon’s assignment and did his chances of returning to the winner’s stall no harm when he jumped well and took an ideal position in transit on the heels of early leaders Comicas and Ozi Choice.
Offered a clear racing line upon arriving in the straight, he was simply too good late. Ben Allen delivered a perfectly-timed ride aboard the horse to win.
- Iconoclasm
- Fastnet Tempest
- Sircconi
Race 3 – Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes Results
Sunlight has led all the way to justify her clear market favouritism in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes.
The Magic Millions champion received plenty of interest in betting and immediately took up the running after jumping well this afternoon; setting a fair tempo for her rivals in transit.
Luke Currie allowed Sunlight plenty of time to balance before he asked for an extra effort and the filly’s class shone through as she easily put away her rivals; hitting the line a length ahead of the consistent Humma Humma.
“She’s got great gate speed and she’s on the fresh side, so she was pretty quick,” Currie said after the race.
“Once she got there and got a bit of a rest, she was always too good.”
- Sunlight
- Humma Humma
- Meryl
Race 4 – Group 3 Cape Grim Beef Steaks Results
Queensland raider Winter Bride has held on to win the Cape Grim Beef Steaks from the fast-finishing Booker.
The Not A Single Doubt mate was easy in betting in the minutes leading up to jump, but she left the gates well and was tucked in behind the early pace by jockey Ryan Maloney as Moonlover, Our Crown Mistress and Fragonard dictated early terms on-pace.
Finding a gap and kicking clear as the field turned for home, Winter Bride looked the winner 300m from home and ultimately, proved just too good for the chasing contingent.
Trainer Toby Edmonds was thrilled with the performance but revealed that he has not set plans for the mare.
“She’s improved so much and was very strong,” Edmonds said.
“We’re just going to take it one race at a time and see where we get to with her.”
- Winter Bride
- Booker
- Our Crown Mistress
Race 5 – Group 2 Schillaci Stakes Results
Ball Of Muscle has taken advantage of an on-pace position to win the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes on Caulfield Guineas Day.
The veteran sprinter has returned to racing in outstanding form this time, but was again forgotten in betting and jumped a $9.50 shot in Schillaci Stakes betting.
Craig Williams settled the horse beside early leader Snitty Kitty and kicked clear when the field turned for home; ultimately proving too good for British raider Spirit Of Valor.
“I asked him to quicken around the bend and he was really solid,” Williams said.
“It just showed how dominant he was, we didn’t draw the best gate.”
- Ball Of Muscle
- Spirit Of Valor
- Missrock
Race 6 – Group 1 Thousand Guineas Results
Amphitrite has mustered a huge turn of foot to beat $126 shot Fundamentalist to the line in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas this afternoon.
Craig Williams settled the filly within the field after jumping well, allowing the likes of Thrillster, Smart Melody and Mirette to dictate early terms on pace.
Enjoying a carefree run in transit, Amphitrite found all the gaps turning into the straight and set about running down the leaders; locking in a fierce sprint battle with Fundamentalist in the last 200m but simply proving too good late.
“Obviously she showed us a little bit first prep, but nothing like this,” Trainer Darren Weir said.
“She’s gone out and really strengthened up and just returned a better horse.”
- Amphitrite
- Fundamentalist
- Seabrook
Race 7 – Group 1 Toorak Handicap Results
Land Of Plenty has recorded a well-deserved Group 1 win with another strong performance in the Toorak Handicap.
The Stratum entire’s chances of winning looked to take a hit when he was allocated the outsider barrier mid-week, but Damian Lane delivered a gem of a ride to find clear running in the straight and ultimately, the horse was too good for his rivals.
Hartnell boxed on well to finish second, while Seige Of Quebec continued his smart campaign by finishing third.
“I was lucky there was good speed on and I got a lovely tow into the race. The horse did the rest,” Lane said.
“With the solid speed, I ended up a little further back than anticipated but it didn’t matter – they bunched at the bend and he was too good.”
- Land Of Plenty
- Hartnell
- Siege Of Quebec
Race 8 – Group 1 Caulfield Stakes Results
It was a Godolphin quinella as the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Benbatl beat the Charlie Appleby-trained Blair House on the line in the Caulfield Stakes.
Both international raiders took prominent positions in running as Homesman and Sedanzer injected plenty of early tempo into the Group 1 feature.
Locking in a fierce sprint battle all the way up the Caulfield straight and leaving their rivals in the dust, it was Benbatl that bobbed his head at this right moment to win this afternoon and he’ll take plenty of benefit into his duel with Winx in the Cox Plate in two weeks’ time.
“He rarely runs a bad race and he was really good today,” jockey Pat Cosgrove said.
- Benbatl
- Blair House
- Humidor
Race 9 – Group 1 Caulfield Guineas Results
The Autumn Sun has justified his clear favouritism with a dominant win in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas this afternoon.
The Redoute’s Choice colt put the writing on the wall with an outstanding win in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) first-up and always looks like improving at the mile, having won the Group 1 JJ Atkins at the trip in winter.
Having enjoyed an ideal run in transit on the heels of the early leaders, James McDonald was greeted with a huge turn of foot as The Autumn Sun easily put away his rivals; beating Vassilator and Oohood by several lengths.
“If you keep him in a rhythm, he’ll do the rest. He was by far the best horse,” McDonald said after the race.
- The Autumn Sun
- Vassilator
- Oohood
Race 10 – Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes Results
James McDonald completed an outstanding Caulfield Guineas Day by delivering a gem of a ride on Yucatan to win the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) with complete ease; stamping himself as a serious Melbourne Cup threat.
Yucatan received plenty of attention in betting leading up to jump and justified the tag when he went for home 500m from the post; leaving all of his rivals in the rear-view mirror.
Brimham Rocks continued his smart form by finishing second, albeit six lengths off the winner.
- Yucatan
- Brimham Rocks
- A Prince Of Arran