With Day 2 of The Championships, and the final race for super mare Winx, capturing most of the attention this Saturday, there is still a nine-race card for us to enjoy from Caulfield. Here's our preview and betting tips for every Caulfield race this Saturday April 13th 2019.
Caulfield Racing Tips
Best Bet: Race 7 - Halvorsen
Best Value: Race 6 - Seberate
Lay Of The Day: Race 5 - Secret Blaze
RACE 1
The 2yos kick off the day and we get to see Super Seth go around again after a very impressive debut win at Ballarat. Whilst he didnt beat much, the times he ran were good and the style of his win showed there was more to come. He has to be top pick. His main danger is the Snowden trained Hightail who was placed in the Magic Millions last preparation before not being suited last start on a very heavy track in Sydney.
RACE 2
Big field here but not a huge amount of speed on paper. Despite that, I'm happy to side with Renewal who got too far back in a better race than this last start before finishing off well for 4th. He can be slowly away which is some concern but if he can settle around midfield then he should be hard to hold out. Despite drawing the outside, Call It A Day looks the main danger. This is his fourth run in so he should be ready to peak, the rise to 1400 suits and he can roll forward and sit in the first two.
RACE 3
Typically open mares race here where once again there doesnt look to be a huge amount of pressure on paper. For that reason I'm happy to side with the Lindsay Park trained Ocean Deep. She comes off a close 2nd to smart Tasmanian mare I Remember You at Sandown after sitting outside the leader. She should be able to kick up from the inside gate here and lead for Linda Meech and be very hard to run down. Truly Discreet shapes as a danger after being unsuited in her first two runs back. She can settle closer to the speed here and has performed well 3rd up in the past.
RACE 4
The stayers face the starter here and once again we are looking at a fairly sedate tempo. It is hard to go past the Anthony Freedman trained Steel Prince who looks a very promising stayer. He has won both his starts this preparation and the rise to 2425m should only suit him more. He is not the type to put a gap in his opposition but he really knows where the line is and should find a lovely spot just off the speed in running. As far as dangers go you can head to the top of the weights with Bondeiger and Sin To Win. Bondeiger is a month between runs since competing in the Adelaide Cup but is always competitive in these types of races around this distance range. Sin To Win is back in class after not being too far away in the Mornington Cup. He was back on the inside that day which was not the best part of the track and should come on for the run at the distance.
RACE 5
The 3yo stayers compete here and alot of these come out of the same race at Bendigo a couple of weeks ago. I am going to steer away from that race for my top pick and go with the Archie Alexander trained Convict Sam who is coming off a dominant last start win over 2000m at Donald. On that occasion the blinkers were applied for the first time and he was very strong through the line. He has only had four starts to date so he still has improvement to come and the rise to 2425m should only suit him further.
RACE 6
Happy to be with Seberate at the price here after an arrogant win 1st up at Bendigo. That was his first run since being gelded and he went straight to the front, copped a bit of pressure mid race before racing away in the straight to win easily. This is a tougher field but the style of that win has me convinced he can measure up. The main danger looks to be Saccharo who tends to find a bit of bad luck in alot of his races. Last start at Bendigo he got shuffled back in the run before finishing strongly. The blinkers go on here which look like they will help.
RACE 7
Plenty of speed on paper here which looks to set it up nicely for Halvorsen. He was a dominant winner fresh over this distance in easier grade last campaign and should be able to settle in the second half of the field here unleash his big finish down the middle of the track. He has form around horses such as Hawkshot and Tin Hat last preparation underlying his class.
RACE 8
The feature race of the day is the Bel Esprit Stakes and it has drawn together a decent field of sprinters. Its hard to go past the flying machine Eduardo here after his sensational run over this track and distance in the Oakleigh Plate. He should be able to drive through and lead here and be very hard to run down. His recent jumpout at Cranbourne showed he was ready to go. Should they overdo it in front and horses are able to sit wide and run well then I think Malibu Style isn't the worst at big odds. He has won and been placed in this race the last two years and he has a pattern of running well 2nd up.
RACE 9
This looks the toughest race of the day with many chances. There doesn't look to be huge speed in the race and for that reason I'm happy to have Lite'n In My Veins on top who has had two runs back and had excuses in both. 1st up he led and was in the wrong part of the track and then last start he was caught wide and battled on well. He should find a good spot in running here and its hard to see him not being in the finish.
