Blind Raise has solidified its position as the second favourite for the 2026 Caulfield Guineas, following an impressive win in a preliminary race at Caulfield.

The three-year-old colt, trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, encountered early pressure in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) held on Saturday. It subsequently had to withstand a mid-race manoeuvre before scoring untroubled.

Sent out as the $2.40 favourite with Blake Shinn in the saddle, Blind Raise achieved a commanding 2-¾ length victory over Tornado Valley ($19), with American Eagle ($5) a short-head adrift in third.

Post-race, Blind Raise’s odds for the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10 were slashed from $11 to $4, placing the colt as the second elect behind Tron Bolt ($3.50).

Shinn commented that Saturday’s performance was a statement of intent with three weeks remaining until the Guineas.

“He’s an exceptional horse,” Shinn stated. “I’m just delighted to get a win for Trent and Natalie. They’re great judges of horses. It didn’t work for the horse in the winter when they took him to Queensland and they’ve come back and he’s just got a real aura about him. We’ve got three weeks into the Guineas, and he was off a two-week backup into today off one trial into his first-up run. I’m pleased he’s got three weeks into the Guineas. Trent can do what he likes with him and it’s exciting.”

Busuttin indicated that Blind Raise was a markedly different proposition for Saturday’s race compared to his first-up win at Sandown on September 5.

“He’s improved a hell of a lot,” Busuttin remarked. “He’s such a relaxed, calm horse, and first-up off the back of one trial when at Sandown, he was sweating, he was jig-jogging, he was up-and-about, but today he was asleep and I knew it was game on.”

Blind Raise was indeed tested, needing to expend energy up the hill from the 1400m start, before finding a position outside the leader, Alchemistic.

Later, Ethan Brown, piloting Wolf Gap, initiated a move before the turn, injecting further intensity into the race.

“He’s a horse with a good turn of foot,” Busuttin added. “When they whipped around and Blake was still sitting pretty on him, I was pretty happy. He will go into the Guineas without another run. It was a two-week turnaround without a break and it’s three weeks to the Guineas and then another two weeks … to the Cox Plate.”

With the Caulfield Guineas approaching, considering the available betting markets for the race could be a prudent step for punters.