Well, not really a preview but our selections and a few notes.  The only thing we are 100% certain of is that after the running of the race, the Melbourne Cup markets will be completely changed and more then likely have a new favourite.  The Caulfield Cup more then any other race has the greatest impact on the Melbourne Cup market, aside from scratchings of course.  So come about 4:06:30 or there about, talk will turn to which horse had the best Melbourne Cup runs outside of the Caulfield Cup winner.   So keep your eyes open for fast finishers.

This year, we have found it hard to narrow down a selection on the Caulfiled Cup with a number of horses ticking a few boxes but not all.  It would appear the betting public in general has the same issues given the openness of betting markets.

Our selections with BetFair odds

Predatory Pricer ($9.40)
Daffodil ($10.00)
Kirkless ($9.40)
Allez Wonder ($12.00)

We’ll probably have these boxed up in some exotics as there is not enough confidence around to pick one out, if Predatory Pricer had a gate inside 11 as opposed to the wide 16 then it would be our sole selection.  Given that, if it can settle and race mid field as opposed to pushing forward it will be hard to beat.

For other races

Caulfield Race 6 – Harrolds Stakes No.3 Typhoon Tracy (If it wins each way on Vigor in the Caulfield Cup as a rough chance)
Caulfield Race 7 -  David Jones Cup No.7 Shocking
Caulfeild Race 9 – Caulfield Sprint No.9 Phelan Ready
Randwick Race 4 – Inglis Handicap No.2 Bandar
Randwick Race 6 – Tattersalls Cup No.5 Macknuckle
Eagle Farm Race 4 – O’Donnell Griffin No.1 Sneaky Long

Enjoy, and we hope you have a successful Caulfield Cup day

With only three weeks until the running of the 2009 Melbourne Cup, here is the latest order of entry as at 12th October 2009:

Click to download Melbourne Cup order of Entry

Two of note that are currently sitting outside the order of entry that have not passed the first entry clause are Maldivian along with Vision and Power. 58 horses currently have passed but with only 24 starters things are going to get interesting to see just who will get there in the end. And the interest does not get any greater with the upcoming 2009 Caulfield Cup being run on the 17th October. Come late Saturday we should have seen the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner run around or at least have a better understanding of the horses to follow.

Godolphin finally have something to cheer about down under with All The Good winning the Caulfield Cup at 50-1. I was thinking all week that this was not going to be a race for the favouriates and that an outsider had a chance at taking this one out. I was super keen on Ice Chariot and Mad Rush as hopes but just pick the wrong guys. But having said that, Mad Rush by far and above anything else was finishing the best of any horse including the winner, a 2800 metre race and he storms home.

So the result was All The Good, Nom de Jeu and Barbaricus with Mad Rush for forth. Now I really face a delima as my system that you can get in the guide will have All The Good as the best foreign horse but I am totally hung up on Mad Rush after the Caulfield Cup run.

Ice Chariot I think was out classed or maybe even picked the wrong horse to follow into the race and then didn’t have enough when the go buttons needed to be pressed. You can see from the video below that at about the 600m mark Littorio comes to the outside but does not quite go at that stage and fades a bit before coming home for 5th, but if it had enough to keep going Ice Chariot was ready to follow but they both kind of stalled at the 400-600 mark with nothing really coming. Ice Chariot was still grinding away but has no turn of speed whereas Littorio kicked

Over the next few days, while sitting here in Tasmania over looking Constitution Dock I will put together my top four horses as it currently stands for the Melbourne Cup and we’ll see ow things stack up. The important thing to keep in mind is not to get caught up in all this and think about some horses outside of this race, the likes of Efficient, Zipping etc are still out there.

Otherwise, the Caulfield Cup has just confirmed everything that we knew about Weekend Hussler and some people did not want to believe. Weekend Hussler is a great 1600 metre runner, perhaps the best and should stick with that. Horses like Desert War, knew their place and dominated the EPSOM and that distance, I don’t think we’ll see Weekend Hussler in the Cox or Melbourne Cup and should be spelled to tackle more appropriate races in the Auntum like the Doncaster.

Here it is…The 2008 Caulfield Cup