The Autumn Sun is already a two-time Group 1 winner and perhaps unsurprisingly, he has opened an odds-on favourite to win Saturday’s featured Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
The Redoute’s Choice colt immediately stamped himself as a horse to follow when he debuted for a dominant win in a 1200m sprint at Randwick in April, and he continued to impress with another easy win at 1400m before ending his season with the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) beside his name.
He was forced to endure a tough run in transit and was checked turning for home in Group 2 The Run To The Rose (1200m) first-up, but still toughed it out to the line to finish third. The performance was franked when he stormed home from the tail of the field to win the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) last time out on September 22nd.
A return to a mile looks ideal, particularly at this point of his preparation and he could very well enjoy the run of the race from gate 5, and with James McDonald taking the ride.
Interestingly only two other runners have opened at 2018 Caulfield Guineas odds of less-than $10 and there is a case to be made for Darren Weir-trained stable mates Native Solder ($8.50) and Leonardo Da Hinchi ($9).
Native Soldier enjoyed a competitive two-year-old season and record consecutive wins at Geelong and Moonee Valley before ending his campaign third in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m).
He has returned to the track a far-more furnished prospect this time, however and won the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) second-up on September 1st. He returned a rare lacklustre run when found to be harbour a minor leg complaint in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) but led all the way to win the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) last time out.
Ben Allen can take the horse straight to the lead from barrier 4 and given he is rock-hard fit, he’ll be tough to run down.
Leonardo Da Hinchi has continued to improve with racing and is primed for another big performance in the Caulfield Guineas.
An easy winner of his first two starts upon debuting in July, the Hinchinbrook colt made a competitive transition to black type company when third behind Brutal in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m), before making up plenty of ground to finish an agonizingly-close second behind the same horse in the Listed Antler Luggage Plate (1400m).
He was sent off an odd-on favourite in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) a fortnight ago and justified the quote with another impressive, this time on-pace performance to win. He appears to be an extremely versatile horse and can be fighting out the finish again on Saturday.
A solitary filly has accepted into the 2018 Caulfield Guineas field and Oohood ($12) would not look out of place in the winner’s stall.
Oohood was one of the Autumn Carnival’s most consistent two-year-olds and placed in each of her races including two Group 1 features but incredibly, was unable to break her maiden.
She resumed this time for a couple of luckless efforts in the Group 2 Silver Shadow (1200m) and Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m), before working through traffic to again finish fourth in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 15th.
All but forgotten in betting for the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) two weeks ago, the daughter of I Am Invincible mustered of big turn of straight to incredibly break her maiden at the highest level.
With that Group 1 title under her belt, trainer Tony McEvoy is obviously having a go at winning the higher cheque that is on offer in the Caulfield Guineas with Oohood and under the conditions, the decision is every chance of being justified.
There are several live chances further down 2018 Caulfield Guineas betting including Tavisan ($14), Ranier ($16) and Muswellbrook ($41).