The build-up to the 2026 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival rolls on at Caulfield this Saturday, and there’s plenty for punters to sink their teeth into with four black-type races across the card.
The Group 3 Vain Stakes and Quezette Stakes both look set to deliver some serious heat down the straight for the three-year-olds, before a few familiar faces step out in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes over 1400m.
Wet-track form is going to be absolutely vital with rain hanging around Melbourne, and at time of writing, Caulfield is rated a Heavy 8.
For our race-by-race analysis, tips, key runners and betting strategy, check out our full 2026 P.B. Lawrence Stakes Day Preview below.
FUNDAMENTAL NATURE (10) kicks off her prep for Ciaron Maher and there’s plenty to like about her fresh.
She started her career in perfect style earlier in the year, winning her first two starts before being thrown into deeper water at Group 3 level over 1200m at Caulfield.
That run can be forgiven after she was posted five-wide throughout, and her effort the start prior in the Inglis Sprint reads particularly well for this. She finished within a length of the smart Getta Good Feeling, and if she gets through the wet for the first time, she can be right in the finish.
| 10. Fundamental Nature (5) 57.5kg1138x |
SIMURGH (4) has to overcome an awkward draw, but he still looks a major player in a tricky race.
The Hayes team has kept him on the fresh side since his Sandown run in mid-June, where he went forward, travelled on speed and stuck on strongly for second.
He’s had a couple of tick-over trials to keep him ready, and the wet track is no issue given his proven form in the conditions. If Craig Williams can slide across without burning too much early, he’ll take plenty of catching.
| 4. Simurgh (8) 60.5kg2112x |
GLASGOW LASS (5) looks a big winning chance second-up for Matt Laurie.
She had no favours at Caulfield over 1200m last start, posted wide and settling a long way back before charging late into third behind Custom.
The extra trip looks right up her alley, and a more positive ride from Logan Bates could make all the difference. She handles wet ground, gets weight relief with the claim, and looks ready to give this a proper shake.
| 5. Glasgow Lass (2) 59kg9x0x3 |
HE’LL RIP (8) has been threatening to win one for a while, and this looks another suitable set-up.
The seven-year-old son of Hellbent was runner-up in a similar race over this track and distance in early June, and he has backed that up by placing again at Caulfield and Sandown.
He comes in close to a month between runs, but a recent straight trial here should have kept him ticking over nicely. He loves wet ground, and with Blake Shinn going on and 3kg less in the saddle, he gets his chance to finally knock one off.
| 8. He’ll Rip (1) 55kg74233 |
CLOSER TO FREE (2) looks ready to fire fresh off what he’s shown at the jump outs.
The Street Boss colt made a real statement in the autumn when winning the Blue Diamond Prelude by a length over subsequent Golden Slipper winner Guest House.
His grand final didn’t pan out from a wide gate, but he looks to have come back bigger and better as a three-year-old. If he brings that fresh form to Caulfield, he’s going to be very hard to hold out.
| 2. Closer To Free (9) 58kg120x |
RIVERINA LULU (10) looks over the odds for a filly with serious upside.
Graheme Begg’s sprinter was very good on debut over 100m shorter down the straight at Headquarters, where she had to lift between runners before putting 1.5 lengths on Leopard Shark.
She’s had nearly a month to come on from that, and her recent jump out win suggested she’s in terrific order. The wide draw makes things interesting, but she’s got a sharp turn of foot and looks a strong each-way play at the current price.
| 10. Riverina Lulu (11) 56kg1 |
William Pike heading across the country for the Peters-owned COSMIC CRUSADER (7) is hard to ignore.
The six-year-old gelding by Maurice was excellent first-up in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield, settling back before peeling into the race around the turn and putting them away by 2.5 lengths.
He looked like a horse crying out for further off that win, and he gets that now second-up. With only 0.5kg more to carry and the option to settle closer from the wider draw, he looks very hard to knock.
| 7. Cosmic Crusader (8) 59kg112×1 |
PERSIAN SPIRIT (6) resumes after tackling much stronger races in the autumn and looks well placed in this.
Symon Wilde’s six-year-old didn’t win last prep, but he was far from disgraced, especially when finishing just outside the money in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, beaten 4.5 lengths.
His fresh record is the big tick, with two wins and three placings from five first-up runs. Add in his strong 1200m profile, where he’s missed the cash only twice from six starts, and he shapes as a very appealing each-way bet.
| 6. Persian Spirit (3) 55.5kg3648x |
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (3) brings the class factor and looks the one they all have to measure up to.
Ciaron Maher’s gelding resumes for the first time since the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April, where he finished midfield from the inside barrier at Randwick in a solid enough effort.
The mile fresh looks ideal, and he should be fine with cut in the ground as long as Caulfield hasn’t slipped into the heavy range by this point of the day. He’s had two soft trials, draws to roll forward, and his class could take him a long way against this field.
| 3. Light Infantry Man (3) 62kg1415x |