Wide-open Guineas up for grabs

Prince Harada is at the top of the betting. Source: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

THE general consensus among the major players in Saturday's Caulfield Guineas is the $1 million classic is up for grabs as there is no dominant three-year-old in the big race.

"I don't see a Pierro or All Too Hard among them, that's for sure,'' said Tony Vasil, trainer of boom Melbourne colt Prince Harada.

Peter Snowden, who prepares Guineas favourite, Long John, agreed. "They seem a very even group but we will find out soon enough which three-year-olds go to that next level.''

Long John and Prince Harada remain at the top of betting for the $1 million Caulfield Guineas despite drawing wide apart for the Group 1 classic.

Long John has the coveted rails barrier while Prince Harada has been drawn to start from gate 12.

"I'd sooner draw an inside gate than an outside gate,'' Snowden said.

Vasil was not concerned by Prince Harada's awkward gate.

"The inside barrier didn't help Prince Harada in the Golden Rose,'' Vasil said. "He's a big colt with a very long stride and I'd prefer him not to be cluttered up.''

NSW TAB Fixed Odds kept Long John solid at the top of Caulfield Guineas at $3.80 with Prince Harada pressing at $4.20. The main news from yesterday's barrier draw included:

#Long John's inside barrier has been the most successful starting position in the last 20 runnings of the Caulfield Guineas, producing five winners - Mahogany (1993), Kenwood Melody (1998), Redoute's Choice (1999), Starspangledbanner (2009), Anacheeva (2010);

#In the same period, 13 of the 20 Guineas winners have started from no wider than barrier four;

#God's Own did start from Prince Harada's barrier of 12 when he won in 2005;

#Despite the race's history of producing upset results, eight favourites have been successful in the last two decades, most recently Helmet ($2.20) in 2011; and

#Gai Waterhouse did not accept with Aussies Love Sport as the colt has a minor leg injury but she is still represented by Divine Calling.

Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman rides Cluster during trackwork at Caulfield on Tuesday. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Snowden said Long John had a solid workout very early at Flemington yesterday morning and declared the three-year-old was peaking for the Caulfield Guineas.

"I was really happy with the way he worked, he's on song and ready to go,'' Snowden said.

"The 1600m should not worry him at all - we just need a bit of luck in running.''

Vasil rode Prince Harada trackwork himself at Caulfield yesterday morning and said his colt is "as good as I can get him'' for Saturday's big race.

"I haven't started him since the Golden Rose because I didn't think he needed another run,'' Vasil explained.

"He's very fit and I'd be disappointed if he didn't race very well.''

Sydney's champion jockey Hugh Bowman, rider of Cluster, has a similar view to Vasil and Snowden - there is no standout three-year-old in the Caulfield Guineas.

"I don't think Cluster needs to make a lot of improvement,'' Bowman said. "Luck in running will play a huge part in this race.''

Bowman made the trip to Caulfield to partner promising Cluster in the colt's final Guineas hit-out yesterday.

Cluster worked on his own wide out on the course proper and although he wasn't out to break any track records, Bowman did ask the colt to sprint up his final 400m.

"They had the markers right out and he was bit `new' out there on his own,'' Bowman said.

"He did do a lot of looking around - I would have preferred him to have a mate to help him concentrate - he still ran good sectionals for his final 400m.''

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Wide-open Guineas up for grabs

Dengan url

http://sportifoclube.blogspot.com/2013/10/wide-open-guineas-up-for-grabs.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Wide-open Guineas up for grabs

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Wide-open Guineas up for grabs

sebagai sumbernya