2026 Caulfield Cup Day Tips & Preview

Keen to see what VALLICE (2) can do here out to 2000m for the first time in the Caulfield Classic.

The colt to Mauriceis deep into his prep now having just competed at Headquarters over 1800m where he ran on late down the outside to finish second to Miss Waititi.  

There was a lot to like about the way he stretched out through the line under Mark Zahra, and he only needs a touch of early luck to go his way on Saturday from a slightly tricky gate. 

Back on a dry track is the one query, but he still has improvement to come given he was up sharply in distance last time out. 

Confident MISS WAITITI (2) can repeat the dose here after winning so well at Headquarters a fortnight earlier.  

Craig Williams found a dream spot along the rail and made full use of it, bursting clear to go 2.5 lengths clear in the end. That isn’t to take anything away from her talent though as she improved significantly on a previous place effort for third at Seymour.  

Willo retains the ride in the Ethereal Stakes and has plenty to work with from an inside barrier this time. Providing she handles a dry deck for the first time, she’ll be very hard to hold out again.  

GEEGEES MISTRUTH (1) is easy to have on top coming off two solid runs in Group 1 company.  

She let down nicely to run fifth in the Manikato Stakes here a fortnight ago, a race that never really went to plan for after being held up badly along the rail at a key stage. 

In saying that, she accelerated hard once clear to finish close to two lengths off Jimmysstar, so her class should take her a long way back in grade.  

The blinkers go on now for the first time and she just needs to handle the big weight under Blake Shinn to score a well overdue win.   

I AM ARIA (13) can go forward again from a soft draw and take catching.  

This filly to I Am Invincible was far from disgraced second-up in the Champagne Stakes over 1200m, setting up close to the speed under Michael Dee, where she held her spot well for second all the way to the line.

It was a much-improved performance after she over raced down the straight at Headquarters fresh from a spell, and she does look ready to peak now third-up over longer.  

ZOEHRER (11) is one to keep an eye on each-way as well. He won by a good margin at Seymour last start and that form has been franked with the runner-up going on to win his next start by three lengths. This is tough from a wide gate, but he’s capable of sneaking into the money.  

WAR MACHINE (2) has enjoyed close to nearly a month between runs following a total forgive in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes second-up. 

The Hayes-trained gelding over raced and was wide throughout, but I’m happy to have him on his previous effort in The Heath 1100 where he was a tough watch when held up badly at the top of the straight.  

Love the fact he’s come out and won a trial between starts, while it’s worth keeping in mind, he’s a four-time 1400m winner. A couple of gear changes and a nice ride from the tail of the field under Mark Zahra would make him hard to beat in the Harry White Stakes.

GALLANT SON (3) is well over the odds I think in a race like this.  

We’re talking about a horse who ran second in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap only six months ago, and I dare say the bookies are overlooking him on one flat effort fresh in the Manikato where the 1200m trip off a break never really suited – alongside the fact he was caught wide. 

He’s in well here at the weights and draws to get a dream cart into the race from midfield. Back in trip and class, he appeals in a big way at early each-way Caulfield Sprint odds.  

SING YOUR SONG (11) is third-up for Chris Waller and having her first start in Melbourne. 

She was up on the speed at Warwick Farm last month in her first run back from a spell, dashing home late to win narrowly in a race that has produced some serious form lines since. 

The daughter to Snitzel went around at Kensington five weeks later and found herself in all sorts of trouble midfield along the rail, held up for a run, but really finding the line solidly once clear to grab third. 

I think she’s got a serious turn of foot this filly, while two runs over 1400m reads very nicely for this rise to the mile from a handy inside gate.  

BARRACKS (9) is second-up for Ciaron Maher and ready to win again. 

The colt to Home Affairs resumed to win his maiden fresh at Rosehill last month, making every post a winner in an impressive front-running display. 

He really never missed a beat scoring by a length, while there’s a bit to like about his winter form when fourth to The Next Episode up in Queensland, a gelding that has gone on to win the Danehill Stakes over the last two weeks.  

Craig Williams gets a turn in the saddle now and barrier 5 in the Blue Sapphire should give the pair a nice launching pad into the race from midfield.  

SAINT GEORGE (12) is a better horse than the one we saw a few weeks ago finishing toward the tail end in the Turnbull Stakes.  

He drew an awful gate that day and had the bog track to contend with, but I’m happy to give him another chance based on his previous run when he went toe-to-toe with Zahrann, finishing a length second in the Naturalism Stakes. 

He meets that same horse better off at the weights on Saturday and rolls into this with a handful of solid runs over 2000m to his name. Gets back on a dry track and from a better gate this time, he’ll be dangerous late.  

Concord Connie is a promising mare, but TERILEE (10) is the one I want to be with here in the Tristarc Stakes to close the Caulfield Cup Day card.

The pair met a few weeks ago at Mornington where the former went down as the favourite, but it was the latter who stormed home late into the frame right down the outside to grab third, rattling off the second-fastest final 200m split of the meeting. 

She’s second-up now and definitely wanting longer, as we saw last time in work when she came out at this stage of her prep and dominated at Sandown to go 1.75 lengths clear.