The sprinting feature at Caulfield on Saturday is the Schillaci Stakes. Black Caviar won this race in 2010 and 2011 with Buffering claiming the title last year, meaning the last three editions of this race have been taken out by the short priced favourite. This year, that tag belongs to Kuroshio ($2.40) who displayed his speed with an authoritative win in the G2 Mitty’s McEwan Stakes (1000m) last start at Moonee Valley.
[include file=”inpost_adrotator.php”]
1. BROKEN – B Melham (5)
Consistent mare who claimed the G3 Aurie’s Star (1200m) three starts ago and backed that up immediately with a strong finish in a Listed race over 1000m at Moonee Valley, defeating Chosen to Fly. Whilst in form, she had a tilt in the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis (1200m) at Flemington at her next and most recent start. She drew the inside gate and, up the straight course, that is not always the ideal place to be but she finished a respectable 3.7 lengths from winner Speediness. Form out of that race has been very good and she’ll get to trail the speed and get the last shot at them here.
2. GREY MONARCH – C Parish (9).
There’s a good reason this bloke opened up in early markets at $301.00. Firstly, he’s age – he’s a 9yo. He hasn’t raced in seventeen weeks and his only two starts in the past eleven months, where he started a 100/1 on each occasion, have seen him finish over ten lengths from the winner both times. No.
3. PAGO ROCK – C Schofield (3)
He won three of his first four runs back from an eight month spell, including the Listed Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) before the son of Rock Of Gibraltar was stepped up to better class of race by his trainer David Hayes. He finished within three lengths of Second Effort in the G3 Bletchingly, within two lengths of Puissance De Lune in the G2 P B Lawrence (1400m) and, at his most recent start just over a month ago, within 1 ½ lengths of Shoreham in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m). He has been freshened up for this and has been in solid form. If he can be within a few lengths off the leaders on the turn, could be finishing better than most.
4. VATICAN – W Egan (7)
This 5yo by God’s Own will shoot across from his wider draw here and attempt, like he did in his first up victory over 955m at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago, to run his rivals ragged. His record over this trip reads 19:6-4-1 but most of those victories and placings have come in races of lesser quality than this event. It’s been quite some time now since he’s competed in a Group race but on the limited times he has in the past, he has found at least one or two too good on the day. Would expect that to be a similar case again.
5. SNITZEM – G Boss (2)
Ran eighth (beaten 4.7 lengths) in this race last year behind Buffering. He was found to be lame post race and was immediately spelled. We then didn’t see the son of Snitzel again until four weeks ago, when he made his return to racing in the G2 Mitty’s McEwan Stakes at Moonee Valley. From an inside draw he took up a forward position but was unable to hold or improve his spot in the last quarter of the race and weakened noticeably to run eighth, more than eight lengths from the winner Kuroshio. It’s hard to see him turning that effort around in the space of a month.
6. UNPRETENTIOUS – D Oliver (1)
Lightly raced but very smart 5yo Stratum gelding that hasn’t raced since producing a fast finishing third in the Listed Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) behind Mid Summer Music last November. That followed an outstanding win on Cup Day last year in the Listed MSS Security Stakes up the Flemington straight. Signalled he is ready to produce a big run fresh, as he did resuming last prep when winning by six lengths over 1100m at Ballarat, with an impressive 2 ½ length win in a Cranbourne trial almost three weeks ago. He’ll get back but be charging home late.
7. SMACKDOWN – D Lane (6)
Consistent gelding who had every chance last start in Open company over 1100m when third to the smart Shamal Wind, beaten 1.6 lengths. Only had to carry 54.5kgs there and despite the step up in class, under the WFA conditions of this race, she also steps up significantly in weight to 58.5kgs. Hard to see being able to handle both of those challenges effectively here.
8. ANABAA’S LEGACY – B Prebble (4)
It’s been a long time now – almost three years, since this mare has been declared the winner of a race. She was sent out at 100/1 when resuming off an eleven week break when seventh (beaten 2.9 lengths) behind Samaready (who subsequently won the G1 Moir in devastating style) in the G3 The Shark Stakes before a cheeky on pace effort, again at the big price of 50/1, when fourth behind Catskins in the G3 Sportingbet Stakes (1200m) Going as well as she has in a long time but still doubt that it is good enough for her to be winning here.
9. KUROSHIO – K McEvoy (8)
Returned to racing as a 3yo, after a successful 2yo season, with a very poor effort in the G3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m), finishing last and beaten almost ten lengths by winner Va Pensiero. The son of Exceed and Excel after a trial to right the wrongs of his first up effort, was subsequently sent south by his trainer Peter Snowden for a crack at the G2 Mitty’s McEwan Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley. Like he has done here, he drew wide but his jockey in that race Craig Newitt, jumped the colt straight to the front and never took his foot off the accelerator. He won by 1 ¾ length, defeating Moment of Change, General Truce and Platelet (who then came out to win the G2 Gilgai Stakes last weekend.) Expect he’ll do exactly the same again here and a repeat performance of last start sees him winning here.
[include file=”inpost_adrotator.php”]
RACE OVERVIEW
It will be on here as soon as the gates open! Vatican will go forward as well Kuroshio, Snitzem and Anabaa’s Legacy. Under the WFA scale Kuroshio, like he did last start, gets a good advantage here of a minimum of 3.5kgs on every other runner and over this distance, with his ability to sustain his speed, this will be a big advantage. Unpretentious is the danger. Very smart on his day but hopefully he doesn’t get too far back from gate one. Given his hard hit-out in the trial, which is not his normal preparation when returning from a spell, he should be wound up and ready to go. Broken and Pago Rock, both in very good form recently, performing well in smart races and who have each been freshened up for this, could be the blow-out chances at good each-way value. If they can be within striking distance on the turn, they’ll be finishing hard late.
- UNPRETENTIOUS
- KUROSHIO
- PAGO ROCK
- BROKEN
