Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Caulfield on Saturday, July 27th.
The Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes headlines the nine-race card, with the track rated a Soft 5 and the rail out 6m.
We've previewed every race on the card below!
Caulfield Racing Tips: Saturday, July 27th
Best Bet: Race 7 - (6) Street Icon
Best Value Bet: Race 3 - (10) Humbolt Current / (2) Desert Path
Siding with the Godolphin horse (7) Spirit Medium who won nicely at Bendigo last start. Craig Williams sticks with her today and I just think she's a bit better suited at 1400m than the favourite, as she's had two runs over 1300m leading into this. (1) Can't Be Done hasn't done much wrong though, he's yet to finish out of the top two from four career starts. He tackles 1400m for the first time which is the query, but he should jump and lead from barrier 1, which will make him tough to get past at Caulfield with the rail out 6m. (2) Igniting was only 0.3L off Can't Be Done first up. He had no luck two starts ago and then failed on the synthetic at Pakenham last start, but I'm willing to forgive just about any horse on that surface. (9) I Am Elouquent shouldn't be dismissed. She won at Geelong first up and the stable are flying.
Two I'll be backing here. Tasmanian mare (4) I Remember You attacks this race in Melbourne first up. First up last prep she destroyed them at Hobart and she then went on later in the prep to win in Melbourne metro class. This is a bit harder but she's trialled well and has a good fresh record, so she's capable of winning. (3) Miss Iano is flying. She drops back in trip to 1100m which is a query but she gets Craig Williams on board which is the big plus. She won two starts back and was beaten just half-a-length last start. Draws well and there should be enough speed on to bring her into it from off the speed. Backing both at $4.40 and $4.60 respectively.
Also backing: (3) Miss Iano $4.60
This is a very tricky race with a few queries over most runners high in the market. I'm more interested to bet around those and have something small on the two Waller runners, who are both first up from a spell. (10) Humbolt Current had two runs in Australia back in February and was then sent for a spell. He resumes today with no public trials under the belt. These internationals typically improve at their second preparation in Australia so he can run a race at $13. His stablemate (2) Desert Path is drawn awkwardly in barrier 14 but he also resumes from a spell with no public trials. He's likely to be much more effective over 2000m+ but I'd be keeping a close eye on the market. He's currently $21 and in a race this open, that represents value. (5) Royal Order looks the one to be on based on form but he's so far struggled from three starts at Caulfield and he's likely to get a long way back from barrier 12. (6) Life Of Waldo has been racing in far easier grade than this but he's won five of his last seven starts so I'd include him at $41, while (16) Parallel World is another at blowout odds to throw in numbers.
Value: (2) Desert Path $21
Siding with (1) Sopressa here, who is knocking on the door for another win. It's been 13 starts since her last win in the G1 Schweppes Oaks, but she really gets her chance to score another win today. She drops back from Listed company and should be able to roll forward from barrier 9 to take up a forward position. Think she'll be hard to beat today. (2) Sasko was beaten 3.1L by Lord Belvedere last start but that could turn out to be a pretty handy formline. He ran 2nd at his only start at this track and distance. Tactics with him today will be interesting as he's drawn a bit tricky in 6. (3) Fanciful Toff ran right up to its market drift in Sydney last start, dropping out to be beaten 17L and pulling up lame post-race. Prior to that he won two on the bounce at Bendigo and Randwick, so that form would see him as the one to beat today. Query over his fitness, but Williams is a positive lead in the saddle.
The interesting runner for me here is (3) Ripcord, a former Kiwi that won nicely on stable debut for Patrick Payne at Pakenham synthetic last Sunday. It was just his third career start but he looks a progressive sort of stayer. The big query with that race is the fact it was on the synthetic, and as we saw last weekend, they can win by a furlong on the synthetic and it doesn't usually measure up to metro class on the turf. With that said, it really catches my attention that he comes here on the six-day back up and this is a stable I respect highly. He's been backed from $10 into $5.50 already and I'll back him each way in an open race. (2) Tavirun has completely turned his form around with two wins from his past two starts, and both have been impressive. He draws exactly the same as he did last start but the query for him today is the rise to 2400m, the first time in his career he's attempted this distance. The horse is flying and is a deserved favourite. (5) Wealthy Wolf and (6) Reflect The Stars both rate highly at each way odds.
Two horses stand out here. (8) Zargos was good in defeat first up over the mile at Flemington. She matched motors with the winner until the 100m mark when her condition gave up. That run should bring her on significantly for today's race and she stays at the mile. She won second up last prep and I'm pretty keen to back her with $6.00 available. I'll also be backing (9) Benitoite at $4.00. She got a long way back in that same race at Flemington and wasn't tested in the latter stages of the race. She's drawn the inside gate here so she should be further forward in the run and Damien Oliver takes over the ride today. She's won three from five overall and has been luckless in her two defeats. Backing both with equal stakes at $6 and $4 respectively.
Also backing: (9) Benitoite $4.00
Pretty keen on (6) Street Icon here. I backed her first up at double figure odds when she was beaten a nose by Gododdin over this track and distance on a similar surface. She should take benefit from that run given she was first up for five months. She won the first two races of her career before being outclassed in G2 company at the end of last prep. Her first up run shows she's come back well so if she gets some luck rolling across from barrier 13 then she should take plenty of beating. (5) Pickup The Pieces won first up last prep and ended up winning three of her first five starts for that campaign, but I just query whether she's got the same class as Street Icon. (1) Tell Me had no luck last start and really should be competitive in a race like this.
Intriguing race. (6) Sesar couldn't have been much more impressive first up for the Hawkes stable in Sydney. He came from the back of the field and weaved through to record a comfortable victory in the Winter Dash. He beat (2) Jungle Edge by 3.6L on that occasion, but Jungle Edge does get a 4kg weight swing in his favour today. There's a couple of queries with Sesar that make the $1.80 price tag a touch prohibitive. His best two wins have come on heavy ground and he also won impressively first up last prep in Sydney but failed second up (granted it was a much harder race than this). I think he's the horse to beat but at $1.80 I can't be diving into him. Jungle Edge will run his usual honest race. He's never missed the placings over this track and distance and he gets the conditions to suit him. (1) Scales Of Justice is probably the most interesting runner of the entire meeting. On his best form, he'd be right up at the top of the market. It's hard to forget his run in the Bobbie Lewis two years ago when he ran 2nd to Redkirk Warrior. His best form hasn't been seen since and he's had multiple issues, including back surgery. However, he does come into this with a full Melbourne prep under his belt and trainer Lindsay Smith has his team in Victoria absolutely flying. On his best form, the $9.50 is a steal, but it's a big doubt as to whether he can reproduce that. (3) Cliff's Edge is another classy runner returning from a lengthy spell. He might just need the run.
Value: (1) Scales Of Justice $9.50
Tough end to the day. I'll follow my money on (5) Romancer, who was good in defeat behind Reykjavik at Flemington last start. I think that form is pretty reasonable and Romancer carries the same weight today as he did last start. The query is the drop back from the mile to 1400m, but he won over this trip two starts ago. He'll need a good ride from barrier 11 but with even luck he should be right in the finish. (2)Tshahitsi should be well suited to this race but my concern is the fact he's still only second up from a 70-week spell. He's got a great second up record and a great record at the distance but he was obviously off the track for a long time for a reason and it will be a good effort if he can win second up from such a long break. (7) Travimyfriend was dominant last start over track and distance so has to be included again, while (8) Snitzepeg and (10) French Girl are both worth throwing in numbers at double figure odds.
