Caulfield Cup washup / Geelong Cup - Manikato Stakes preview

What did we learn on the weekend? Follow interstate trainers who take small teams of horses to Melbourne for the Spring because they don't make these trips on a whim.

On Saturday we saw Liam Birchlely (Whateverwhenever), Con Karakatsanis (Howmuchdoyouloveme), John O'Shea (Lightinthenite), Guy Walter (Streama) & Gerald Ryan (Mrs Onassis) all victorious. For the first three the winner was the only runner they saddled up all day, the last two had only one other runner on the program, in the case of Guy Walter both were in the same race.

As for the Melbourne Cup is the picture any clearer or has the weekend's racing just muddied the waters even more? What of the support races? Who are the horses to follow going forward as we move onwards towards Cox Plate Day and the Flemington Carnival? It's time to assess...

THE WEEK THAT WAS...

Caulfield Cup (G1, 2400m, handicap)

I don't know what to make of this race. The first three horses out of the straight were three of the last four horses over the line, which would normally indicate they went too hard and set it up for the swoopers. Yet the overall time wasn't fast. All honours with the winner Dunaden though. Topweight of 58kg, extreme outside barrier of 22, hooked back to the tail, gave them a start and gave them a beating. Craig Williams at his best. I forecast in a previous post that the locals would find it tough against the internationals and I've seen nothing on the weekend to alter that opinion. 1st, 4th and 5th were overseas raiders and I can't see Alcopop and Lights of Heaven pushing on to The Cup.

There may be a nice race for Folding Gear in the coming weeks if they set their sights a bit lower. He worked to the line well after getting into a bumping duel down the straight just as he was starting to make his run.

Locky's tip - My Quest for Peace e/w. Solid 4th. Sat behind the speed and stuck on well when all the other pacemakers folded faster than Superman on laundry day.

* Dunaden has earned a 1kg penalty for his win taking his Melbourne Cup weight to 59kg. That's 4.5kg more than he carried to victory last year. The highest weight carried to victory since the change to the metric system 40 years ago is the 58.5kg lumped by Think Big in his second Cup victory in 1975.

Caulfiled Sprint (G2, 1100m, handicap)

Howmuchdoyouloveme continues to improve each time they raise the bar. First up for 10 weeks he stepped up from a Listed race at Grafton to a Group 2 on Caulfield Cup Day and won with a leg in the air. Headed for the Salinger on Derby Day which is shaping as a cracking race.

Tristarc Stakes (G2, 1400m, fillies and mares set weights plus penalties)

I tipped that the topweights were well in at the SW+P, I just tipped the wrong one. Numbers 2,3 and 4 filled the placings. The cream tends to rise to the top in these SW+P races for fillies and mares so that's something to keep in mind for the coming weeks.

Locky's tip - Mosheen win. Disappointing 6th. Appeared to have every possible hope.

Norman Robinson Stakes (G3, 2000m, 3-y-o set weights plus penalties)

A great ride here by Glen Boss saw Hvasstan get home in a rough and ready finish. The stewards have given Nick Hall a holiday after a ride reminiscent of Ray Cochrane on Taufan's Melody on this day 14 years ago. It was an emotional win for the Gelagotis boys after losing their father earlier in the week.

Many of these will push on to the Derby but it was a bunched finish which suggests they are a fairly even lot. I think the classic winner will come from another race, either the Cox Plate or the Vase at Moonee Valley this weekend.

Locky's tip - Honorius win. Good 2nd. Struck interference in the straight and was promoted to second on protest but the winner also had a checkered passage so no excuses. Looks like he'll appreciate Flemington though.

Moonga Stakes (G3, 1400m, set weights plus penalties)

Well I found a way to put the brakes on what appeared to be the good thing of the day on paper. Another great ride won this race with Craig Williams cutting the corner on Whateverwhenever to bag another winner on his way to a winning treble.

Locky's tip - King's Rose win. Sound 2nd. Had her chance to win but the big first-up run after a five month break may have told.

THE WEEK AHEAD...

Geelong Cup (G3, 2400m, handicap)

A field of just seven will greet the starter but they are a select bunch. The internationals dominate the market as you would expect after the result on the weekend. Gatewood looks best in at the weights and has the benefit of a run in this country under his belt. Forgive his run last start as he ran into more dead ends than a learner driver down the straight. Brigantin has thrived at Weribee from all reports.

Manikato Stakes (G1, 1200m, w-f-a)

I'm a huge Buffering fan. You won't get any flash price but he should just win. There are some talented ones up against him but this bloke is such a professional who just goes out there and does the job every week. Sea Siren the danger.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Never give a sucker a sniff

- Mother Teresa, Calcutta, 1992