Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for Caulfield on Saturday, March 14th.
The 2020 All-Star Mile headlines the meeting, and you can find our runner-by-runner preview and betting tips for the 2020 All-Star Mile here!
Find our thoughts on every other race below.
Caulfield Racing Tips: 2020 All-Star Mile Day
Best Bet: Race 5 - (4) Secret Blaze
Best Value: Race 8 - (6) Scarlet Dream
Race 1
The favourite (6) Rainbow Thief looks short enough to me despite coming off an impressive victory at Sandown, where he scored by 3.5L. He beat (7) Skiddaw on that occasion but I thought the run of Skiddaw had plenty of merit. He made up good ground in the straight but peaked on his run, which he was entitled to do since he was first up from a spell. With that run under the belt and a nice weight swing, I think he might be able to turn the tables. There's nothing wrong with the way (1) Exasperate is going. He won over track and distance two starts ago before running 2nd to Mount Tabora at Flemington last time out. Carries more weight today but he's trialled well since his last run and can run well at each way odds.
Value: (1) Exaserate $7.50
Race 2
(8) Clementina should relish the rise to 2400m today. She absolutely motored home from back in the field at Flemington last start, and prior to that she recorded the fastest final splits behind (3) Grand Promenade at Ballarat. The extra 400m should really bring her into this today. Grand Promenade is in great form, with three wins from his past three starts. He doesn't win by much but he knows where the line is. It's hard to bet against a Maher/Eustace stayer in his kind of form. (6) Igniter has run 2nd to Grand Promenade at his past two starts, beaten a very narrow margin in both. He gets a nice weight swing in his favour today but he just seems to find one better every time.
Race 3
Going to stick with (5) River Night here who was only run down very late by Ilovemyself at Flemington last start. If you forget her first up run when she got her tongue back and choked down, her form looks very strong despite not winning a race yet. She should roll to the front and be tough to run down. (6) Masseuse should have won on debut at Moonee Valley but found a bit of trouble and ran out of time. The winner of that race has since gone on to win in Listed company in Adelaide so the form has proven to be reasonably good. Williams takes over the ride today and it'd be no surprise to see her win. Chris Waller produced an impressive trial winner in the form of (2) Celestial Sol and he wastes no time putting Bowman on for its debut today. Gets the benefit of the inside gate but it's tough to line the trial form up.
Race 4
Can't say this race has me too excited. Interested to see what the market does with (1) Thought Of That. He was a big drifter in the betting first up at Ballarat and he ran accordingly. There's every chance that run was just to blow out the cobwebs and give him a bit of fitness because they come straight to town today despite that ordinary showing. We know on his best form he'd be winning this - just look back to last prep when he won the Caulfield Classic by nearly 4L. If he's firm in the market, I suspect he'll be ready to win. (4) Western Sun is ready to win after knocking on the door in recent starts. (7) Parmie is also racing consistently but is just struggling to win another race.
(1) Thought Of That
$3.10
Race 5
(4) Secret Blaze was huge in defeat last start behind Fifty Stars, beaten 1.5L after sitting three-wide the trip. The form out of that is very strong as Fifty Stars then came out and won the Australian Cup last weekend. Secret Blaze will appreciate the step up to 2000m and a repeat of last start would see him winning this.(3) Vaucluse Bay is flying, with four top-two finishes from as many starts this prep. He drops back from 2500m to 2000m which is the slight query. (6) Inverloch should lead, just as he did last start when only run down late over this track and distance. Third up should be ready to peak but might just be looking for a wet track.
Race 6
Going with (6) Wayupinthesky here who resumed from a spell after two trials in Sydney. She was a Listed winner last prep down the straight at Flemington over this distance, so provided she handles Caulfield she should be in the finish. She draws well in barrier 4 so should enjoy a good run. I was keen on (1) Sartorial Splendour first up when he was $9.00 into $5.50 in the Rubiton Stakes, but he tailed off and pulled up with thumps post-race. Forgive him for that, he should speed through to lead from barrier 1 but the only concern is the extra weight he carries.
Race 7 - All-Star Mile
Find our runner-by-runner preview and betting tips for the 2020 All-Star Mile here!
Race 8
The form behind (2) Admiral's Joker looks particularly strong for a race like this, with a 1.8L 3rd behind Fifty Stars and Secret Blaze last start. Fifty Stars went on to win the Australian Cup so Admiral's Joker brings the strongest form line, and he's the most likely winner, but I think you're brave taking $1.85. There's a couple at good odds outside of him. (4) Guizot is an each way bet to nothing at $13. He loves this track and distance and gets a good run from a good gate. (6) Scarlet Dream makes her stabe debut for Team Hawkes. She gets the blinkers back on and she's finished 2nd in all three starts when first up from a spell, so expect her to run well at double figure odds. (9) Polanco is racing well, while (3) Gold Fields always tends to improve second up.
(6) Scarlet Dream E/W
$12
Race 9
(18) Phoenix Global gets a run here and the money has come. He resumed from a spell at Ballarat with a dominant win, jumping straight to the front and kicking away to score by nearly 4L. He gets in with 53kg here and Damian Lane gets down to that weight to ride him. Drawn awkwardly but if he can get across, he'll take plenty of catching. Two horses out of that race at Ballarat have already come out and won their next start so the form looks very strong.
(18) Phoenix Global
$2.80
