By ROY ASPINALL
AFTER several years of absence the Japanese are again here to contest the major spring races and they look to have a strong hand in Saturday’s (October 18) $3,150,000 Group 1 Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400 metres).
It is hard to forget the Japanese quinella of Delta Blues and Pop Rock in the 2006 Melbourne Cup but we must also remember that Delta Blues ran an unlucky third to Tawqueet in the Caulfield Cup that year.
The Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup is the toughest, richest and most prestigious 2400 metres handicap in the world and this Saturday will see the 137th running. The field will be declared following final declaration, carrying a fee of $24,750, at 10am on Tuesday, October 14. At the close of third acceptances on October 7, 41 horses remained in the race, including seven internationally-trained horses. The field limit is 18 horses with four emergencies. There looks likely to be at least two Japanese runners, Bande and Admire Rakti, with the former appearing an outstanding chance.
Bande is prepared at Ritto in Western Japan by one of the nations’ top trainers, Yoshito Yahagi. He has raced 12 times for five wins, three thirds and $1,332,418 in stakes. The five-year-old ran third in the Group 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) last October and, at his most recent outing on August 10, won the Listed Sapporo Nikkei Open (2600 metres) at Sapporo. He has a liking for firm tracks. I viewed a video of the Sapporo race and Bande went straight to the front and dictated the race before racing clear on the home turn to win by five lengths, destroying his opposition.
Christophe Lemaire has been booked to ride Bande this spring and he has been pleasing in work at Werribee.
“We hope he can roll from the front but it would depend on the other gallopers in the race,” assistant trainer Takahide Ando said recently.
“If we can go front we try to… he’s a star to racing… it’s just how much he has… we will see”.
Another international to watch will be Dandino, who flew home down the outside to run second to Fawkner in last year’s Caulfield Cup – beaten by 1.25 lengths – and ran fifth to Fiorante in the Melbourne Cup – 3.45 lengths adrift. He is prepared by Marco Botti.
The horse to beat in the race looks to be the Kris Lees-trained mare, Lucia Valentina, impressive winner of the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000 metres) at Flemington on October 4. She has raced 12 times for five wins, a second and two thirds. The Caulfield Cup will be her fourth start this campaign and the mare looks ideally suited at the weights. Last Autumn Lucia Valentina won the Group 1 Vinery Stakes (2000 metres) in Sydney.
Australia’s leading Group 1 winning trainer last season, Chris Waller, is likely to be well represented and Who Shot The Barman caught the eye with his win in the Group 3 Bart Cummings (2520 metres) at Flemington on October 4. He won the Auckland Cup (3200 metres) in March and has been successful in both starts since coming to Melbourne. His 1.5kg penalty should assure him of a start. Waller will also have Hawspur, who ran seventh last year – beaten by 2.35 lengths. Dear Demi, Ambivalent (to race here as My Ambivalent) and equal Melbourne Cup favourite, The Offer also command attention.
A lot of attention will centre on the $750,000 Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000 metres), which was formerly the Norman Robinson Stakes and has proven one of the best guides to the Victoria Derby two weeks later.
Whilst most attention centres on Saturday there is a strong meeting at Caulfield on Wednesday with the $250,500 Catanach’s Jewellers Blue Sapphire (1200 metres) the feature event.
Sportingbet Sandown Guineas Day will be held at Sportingbet Park, Sandown on Saturday, November 15.
