Form Focus Fact Sheet 2020

th The 144

2400m / Group 1 / Handicap / First Run: 1879

The Caulfield Cup was first conducted by the Amateur Turf Club on Saturday, April 5, 1879. Run at Caulfield over (about) 12 furlongs as a Handicap, the Club offered a stake of 200 sovereigns with a sweepstakes of 10 sovereigns per starter.

Andrew Chirnside’s 5yo stallion Newminster landed the prize for trainer Tommy (“Titch”) Wilson and his rider W. (Billy) Yeomans. An outstanding 2yo, Newminster had collected the Maribyrnong Plate, Ascot Vale Stks and VRC Sires Produce Stks in his juvenile year. Reigning favourite for the 1876 Victoria Derby, Newminster was the victim of an alleged nobbling in the lead-up to the blue riband. Recuperating in time to run in the Derby, Newminster suffered severe interference in the event, finishing out of the placings.

The Club elected to move the Cup from Autumn to Spring in 1881, thus two Caulfield Cups were run that year. From 1940 to 1943, the venue was Flemington due to the military occupying the . The 1943 Cup was also run in two divisions.

Famous Cup winners include dual winners , , Whittier & Ming Dynasty plus stars such as , , Eurythmic, Redcraze, , Manfred, Royal Gem, , , , , Gay Icarus, Leilani & Rogilla.

Training honours belong to with 7 winners ahead of & Tommy Smith (4). Equal on 3 are Cecil Godby, David Hayes, Jack Holt, Harry McCalman & Tommy Wilson.

Scobie Breasley holds the jockeys record with 5 winners, ahead of (4, Frank Dempsey, Mick Mallyon & Neville Sellwood (3).

Downloaded for FREE from formfocus.com.au Page 1 of 6

Profile

YEAR T/R WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY A/S OR 2019 G3-TRUE MER DE GLACE H SHIMIZU D LANE 5H 109 2018 S6-6M BEST SOLUTION S BIN SUROOR P COSGRAVE 5H 114 2017 G3-6M BOOM TIME TEAM HAYES C PARISH 6H 102 2016 G3-6M JAMEKA C MAHER N HALL 4M 110 2015 G3-6M MONGOLIAN KHAN M BAKER O BOSSON 4H 112 2014 G3-6M ADMIRE RAKTI T UMEDA Z PURTON 7H 113 2013 G3-6M FAWKNER R HICKMOTT N HALL 6G 108 2012 G3-6M DUNADEN M DELZANGLES C WILLIAMS 7H 118 2011 G3-6M SOUTHERN SPEED TEAM MACDONALD C WILLIAMS 4M 105 2010 H9-6M DESCARADO MS G WATERHOUSE C MUNCE 4G 111

T/R: (Track/Rail): Club elected to go True last year after 9 consecutive years at 6m. True in 2020.

Trainers: Danny O’Brien, Murray Baker, John Hawkes & Leon Macdonald/Andrew Gluyas are the 4 trainers to have runners in 2020 that have previously had a Caulfield Cup winner.

Jockeys: Oliver (4), Williams (2) & Lane (1) have all tasted prior Caulfield Cup success. Oliver, with 25 rides for 4 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds & 5 fourths, is the most experienced.

A/S (Age & Sex): Overall, 21 mares have saluted, 11 of them aged 4. Mannerism (1992) is the only mare aged older than 4 to win since 1959. 4 winners aged 8 have won the Cup.

OR (Official Handicap Rating): High ratings are required to win the Cup – just 2 rated below 108 over the past decade. No winner has carried more than 58kg in the metric era.

Downloaded for FREE from formfocus.com.au Page 2 of 6

Punting

YEAR WINNER BR FIELD SP FAV SP FP 2019 MER DE GLACE 17 18 $8 CONSTANTINOPLE $6.50F 4TH 2018 BEST SOLUTION 15 18 $12 KINGS WILL DREAM $5.50F 6TH 2017 BOOM TIME 3 17 $51 JOHANNES VERMEER $5F 3RD 2016 JAMEKA 11 16 $4.20F JAMEKA $4.20F 1ST 2015 MONGOLIAN KHAN 8 18 $5F MONGOLIAN KHAN $5F 1ST 2014 ADMIRE RAKTI 7 18 $11 LUCIA VALENTINA $4F. 3RD 2013 FAWKNER 10 18 $11 HAWKSPUR $4.20F 7TH 2012 DUNADEN 18 18 $14 GLENCADAM GOLD $4.40F 15TH 2011 SOUTHERN SPEED 3 18 $10 DECEMBER DRAW $3.30F 18TH 2010 DESCARADO 15 18 $17 SHOCKING $4.60F 4TH

Barriers: Quite a wide spread of winning gates over the past 10 years. Gate 1 has not won since 1941; gate 8 since 1972; gate 14 since 1978; gate 12 since 1979; gate 16 since 1985.

SP (Favourite): Just 2 favourites in the past decade, whereas 5 saluted in the previous decade. Overall, the favourite (or equal fav) has landed on 44 occasions (30.7%).

Longshots: Saint Warden (100/1) is the Cup’s longest priced winner – the race being divided and at Flemington (1943). Taufan’s Melody (1998) & Northwind (1936) won at 66/1

Hotpots: Superstar 3yo Tulloch was odds-on at 4/6f when smashing his rivals in the 1957 Cup. Manfred (1926) was 5/4f and Eurythmic (1920) started 6/4f.

Downloaded for FREE from formfocus.com.au Page 3 of 6

Performance

YEAR WINNER A/S OR LAST START L3 NEXT RACE 2019 MER DE GLACE 5H 109 1st Jpn 2000m Kokura G3 (76) 1-1-1. 6th Melb Cup 2018 BEST SOLUTION 5H 114 1st Germ 2400m Baden G1 (48) 1-1-1. 8th Melb Cup 2017 BOOM TIME 6H 102 4th 2400m Herb Power G2 (7) 9-3-4. 15th Melb Cup 2016 JAMEKA 4M 110 2nd 2000m Turnbull G1 (14) 7-1-2. 15th Melb Cup 2015 MONGOLIAN KHAN 4H 112 3rd 2000m Caul Stks G1 (7) 7-4-3. SPELL 2014 ADMIRE RAKTI 7H 113 13th Jpn 3200m Tenno G1 (167) 11-2-13. 22nd Melb Cup 2013 FAWKNER 6G 108 3rd 2000m Turnbull G1 (14) 7-5-3. 6th Melb Cup 2012 DUNADEN 7H 118 6th GB 2400m K George G1 (91) 3-2-6. 14th Melb Cup 2011 SOUTHERN SPEED 4M 105 4th 2000m Turnbull G1 (13) 4-2-4. 4th Mackinnon 2010 DESCARADO 4G 111 14th 2000m Turnbull G1 (13) 6-1-14. 2nd Mackinnon

Last Start: (Days since latest start shown in brackets). Variable info in this data- panel, visitors providing a mix of last-start form. Locals delivering - interestingly, no last start wins.

L3 (Last 3 Starts): The 4 overseas-based visitors all had a 1-2 finish within their last 3 starts. Local contenders all supplied a 1-2-3 finish within their past 2 outings.

Next Race: The Cups double is an elusive beast, (2001) the most recent to accomplish this. Overall, 100 Caulfield Cup winners have gone to the Cup: 11 winners, 6 seconds and 5 thirds illustrate what a huge achievement the Cups double is.

Downloaded for FREE from formfocus.com.au Page 4 of 6

Pros & Cons

Negative:

With Aktau an early withdrawal, the dreaded gate 1 now belongs to the visitor Dashing Willoughby. Currently on a drought of 79 outs, gate 1 has never produced the Caulfield Cup winner since mechanised barrier stalls came into use at Caulfield (1954).

Recent Cup trends support improving recent form coming into the race (a first 5 finish in your last 3 starts is a good start), so Mustajeer would provide a major boilover if he wins.

Beware:

The challenge confronting Warning is not confined to his wide barrier. As the 2019 Victoria Derby winner, he’s out to emulate (2004), Manfred (1926) & Poseidon (1907) as the only horses to win the Derby at 3 and progress to Caulfield Cup triumph at 4. A total of 34 other Victoria Derby winners have attempted this feat – only 5 were placed.

Positive:

Comparing Anthony Van Dyck’s 10 Euro G1 starts (1-3-3) to 2018 Caulfield Cup third Cliffs of Moher’s 10 Euro G1 starts (0-2-1) indicates he’s quite a superior animal. Anthony landed the 2019 English Derby, while Cliffs of Moher managed the runner-up spot in 2017.

Buckhurst profiles closely to 2016 Cup runner-up Scottish and is open to improvement as the least experienced Cup runner in 2020. Melham has been placed in his last 4 Cup rides.

Toffee Tongue & represent the all-conquering Waller stable, this race proving a real nemesis for the yard with 18 starters

Downloaded for FREE from formfocus.com.au Page 5 of 6

returning zero wins and places. Toffee Tongue has had 4 starts at 2000m and beyond for a G1 win, 2 G1 seconds and 1 G3 second. She profiles very favourably against other recent 4yo mare Cup winners such as Southern Speed, Arctic Scent, Ethereal & Imposera.

Verry Elleegant won a competitive Turnbull, thus joining , & as the only mares older than 4 to win that race since it was adjusted to 2000m in 1971. Unbeaten in 2 starts at 2400m, she is lethal in soft going – 8 wins and 3 placings in 13 starts.

Prince of Arran & Finche are genuine performers, while if wet, respect Master of Wine.

Downloaded for FREE from formfocus.com.au Page 6 of 6