2024 Caulfield Winter Series Day Tips & Preview
Chorlton Lane is on track to start a short favourite in the final race at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

2024 Caulfield Winter Series Day Tips & Preview

The countdown to the Melbourne Spring Carnival is officially on as we look ahead to another massive ten-race program this Saturday at Caulfield.

A fine day is expected with the track rated a Good 4, while the rail is out 12m across the entire circuit.

To help you find a few winners, scroll below to check out our best bets across the entire meeting.

Race 1 - 11:20AM Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (1000 METRES)
No. 5 Express Yo’self

Express Yo’self resumes for trainers Amy and Ash Yargi still in search of her maiden win.

The filly by Alabama Express went close on two occasions here at Caulfield back in December, finishing a distant three lengths behind Eneeza on debut, and a length behind eventual Group 2 VRC Sires’ winner Traffic Warden second-up.

Barrier 15 complicated things in the Inglis Millennium at Randwick on return, but she’s since been given a good spell between starts ahead of her return to Melbourne.

Linda Meech steers from a nice soft draw and based on her recent jump out win at Mornington, a bold showing can be expected on return.

Race 2 - 11:50AM Sportsbet Bet With Mates Handicap (1100 METRES)
No. 8 Kin

Kin races well on the fresh side with a win and two placings to her name from five starts.

The mare by Impending raced well without winning at the start of the year, notably finishing third to Rey Magnerio and Twin Perfection over her last two starts here at Caulfield.

Competing against her own sex first-up with Damian Lane experienced in the saddle, she just needs a touch of luck to go her way from barrier nine to be a factor in the finish.

Race 3 - 12:25PM Become an MRC Member Handicap (2000 METRES)
No. 5 Golden Crusader

Golden Crusader has produced some huge performances third-up and he does appear set to peak now out to his preferred distance of 2000m.

The Price and Kent Jr trained six-year-old found the line strongly two weeks ago at Sandown over the mile, leading them into the straight and showing a nice late kick to find back and grab second.

Drawing an inside gate should see Celine Gaudray adopt similar tactics and the 1.5kg claim sees him in quite well at the weights.

Would benefit from some rain about but there’s no knock on his fitness as he looks to improve on that recent effort over the mile.

Race 4 - 1:00PM Whisky, Wine & Fire Handicap (2000 METRES)
No. 9 Kapakiri

Kapakiri has a wide gate to contend with, but a repeat of his first-up effort at Rosehill would see him go close.

Chris Waller’s gelding found the line nicely along the inside over 1500m, only warming to the task late where he ran on to finish a clear third to Franz Josef.

Only lightly-raced for a four-year-old, the son of Kermadec has placed twice second-up in the past and gets his first look at Caulfield now with a few kg’s off under Beau Mertens.

Likely to settle midfield, I think he’s here to run a nice race with fitness on his side.

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Race 5 - 1:35PM Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1200 METRES)
No. 10 Unconquerable

Unconquerable has each-way claims in a very open sprint race between the fillies.

The three-year-old by I Am Invincible stamped herself as one worth following when winning on debut over 1100m here last year, bolting in over the final furlong where she appeared to have plenty left to give through the line.

A gun run from Damian Lane helped her over the line, and she again showed plenty of late speed on a soft track at Flemington two weeks ago in a blanket finish.

Drawn a nice low gate this time and in with just 54kg under Beau Mertens, she should get a dream run in transit and prove very hard to hold out.

Race 6 - 2:15PM Lamaro's Hotel Handicap (1200 METRES)
No. 11 The Open

The Open has graduated from the midweek’s after stringing together a hat-trick of wins so far this prep.

His latest win on the Lakeside track at Sandown was special, exploding with 200m to go where he gave nothing else a chance drawing clear by 1.25 lengths in the end.

This is tougher again but the huge drop in weight and the soft gate are two big advantages for Jye McNeil.

Back to 1200m and absolutely airborne this prep, another win wouldn’t surprise.

Race 7 - 2:55PM ive > Handicap (1440 METRES)
No. 10 Miss Roumbini

Miss Roumbini is a progressive type returning to Caulfield following two solid runs this time in.

The daughter of Zoustar was second first-up to Apparatus at Pakenham last month, a three-year-old who has since gone on to race well at Flemington last week in tougher company.

She improved drastically to win at Sandown a fortnight ago by a clear 2.25 length margin over Saturday’s rival Flying Fizz, and meets most of this field better off at the weights with just 55kg on her back.

Likely to settle in the back half from the low gate, she should measure up.

Race 8 - 3:30PM Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap (1000 METRES)
No. 1 Fleetwood

Fleetwood has come up trumps with the inside gate shooting for his hat-trick.

The Godolphin three-year-old is having his first look at Melbourne following two impressive wins down in Sydney, the latest coming at Randwick where he  was nothing but class all the way to the line in trying conditions.

The decision to race over 1000m again is interesting third-up but a repeat effort of his performance three weeks ago would see him hard to beat.

Race 9 - 4:05PM Marshall White Quality (2000 METRES)
No. 3 Milford

Milford should be stepping out in search of his hat-trick if it wasn’t for a luckless run down the Flemington straight two weeks ago over the same journey.

Michael Moroney’s gelding was held up badly at the top of the straight, only finding the clear over the final 100m where he just missed out on a place.

His previous win over the mile was an indicator he’d be better suited over further, and there’s no knock on his record over 2000m with two wins and a handful of placings to his name.

Typically goes well here at Caulfield and from a perfect barrier, he’ll do me in another open affair.

Race 10 - 4:40PM Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap (1440 METRES)
No. 6 Chorlton Lane

Chorlton Lane almost picks himself here off a six-week break.

Ciaron Maher’s talented four-year-old has been airborne since resuming back in April, stringing together two impressive wins over 1400m – the latest coming here at Caulfield where he prevailed only narrowly after being held up down the straight.

The form from that assignment has produced a handful of winners since, while there was plenty to like about his recent trial at Bendigo between starts.

Goes well fresh, should find conditions to suit, and gets in 1.5kg lighter with the claim put to good use. Hard to fault.