The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Smokin’ Romans is clear favourite drawn ideally in gate five to extend his winning streak and salute for the punters in the Group 1 $5 million Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday.
Impressive 2022 Turnbull Stakes winner Smokin’ Romans is favourite to take out the Caulfield Cup 2022 this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
A capacity field of stayers faces off in this weekend’s Caulfield Cup and markets at Ladbrokes have the airborne Smokin’ Romans on top at $4.50 and firming.
Ms Jamie Kah comes aboard the in-form six-year-old who has won his past two on the trot.
He was good on a Heavy (8) Caulfield track two back winning the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) and franked that form with his 1.5 length upset at $20 in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
The Kiwi-bred galloper has won up to 2500m previously and should appreciate getting back up to a mile and a half as he looks to become the third horse in as many years to complete the Turnbull Stakes – Caulfield Cup double.
Even with a 1.5 kg penalty the favourite gets in favourably weight-wise carrying 51.5kg and looks a genuine chance with plenty working in his favour.
There are two other last start winners in the Caulfield Cup field this spring with the James Cummings-trained Alegron ($11) and the Chris Waller-trained No Compromise ($20) drawn alongside each other in barriers 14 and 13 respectively.
Alegron, who will be ridden by Smokin’ Roman’s regular hoop Ethan Brown on 53kg, was last seen taking out the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) with 55kg second-up.
He is improving each run and was good at his last 2400m performance when third under a length off Hitotsu in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m) in the autumn.
Pins six-year-old No Compromise posted his seventh career win at start number 30 a fortnight back on Epsom Day at Randwick, the gun wet tracker improving on a sixth in the Kingston Town Stakes to narrowly take out the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
Waller won the Caulfield Cup two years ago with his great mare Verry Elleegant and also saddles-up Great House ($21) and Crystal Pegasus ($61) along with having the first emergency Durston ($20) in this year’s field.
Occupying the second line of Caulfield Cup betting behind Smokin’ Romans this season is Benaud ($9) for John O’Shea racing on successive Saturdays.
The classy grey is drawn the far outside alley and is out to join Incentivise (2022) and Dunaden (2012) as the recent Caulfield Cup winners from barrier 18 of 18.
Benaud was runner-up in April’s ATC Derby on a Heavy (9) and has had four runs this prep for mixed results.
Two back he was second in the Kingston Town Stakes before a sixth to Cox Plate favourite Anamoe here last Saturday in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) when only 2.45 lengths off the winner.
Other notable Caulfield Cup hopefuls this year include Smokin’ Roman’s Melbourne Cup-bound stablemate Gold Trip ($12) carrying the 57.5kg top-weight, Edward Cummings’ multiple Group 1 winning mare Duais ($13) and the market mover Knights Order ($12) for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.
The Caulfield Cup runs as Race 9 at 5:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s big 10-race Caulfield card.
2022 Caulfield Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4x52x3x335 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 12 | 57.5kg | 115 | |
| 2 | x96117x068 | DUAIS | Edward Cummings | Joshua Parr | 9 | 55.5kg | 116 | |
| 3 | 0x3521x134 | KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 18 | 55.5kg | 114 | |
| 4 | 214x718x43 | MONTEFILIA | David Payne | Jason Collett | 16 | 55.5kg | 116 | |
| 5 | 7x60211x22 | NUMERIAN (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | Tommy Berry | 10 | 55.5kg | 113 | |
| 6 | 64122×8767 | NONCONFORMIST | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 15 | 54.5kg | 116 | |
| 7 | 0x8x00x535 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Blake Shinn | 17 | 54kg | 110 | |
| 8 | 32510×5361 | NO COMPROMISE (NZ) | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 13 | 53.5kg | 1.0kg | 108 |
| 9 | 2x80314x71 | ALEGRON | James Cummings | Ethan Brown | 14 | 53kg | 114 | |
| 10 | 62542×6426 | BENAUD | John O’Shea | Regan Bayliss | 20 | 53kg | 115 | |
| 11 | x438240x30 | GREAT HOUSE (IRE) | Chris Waller | Brett Prebble | 3 | 53kg | 110 | |
| 12 | x5x6160x27 | INSPIRATIONAL GIRL (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Jye McNeil | 1 | 53kg | 109 | |
| 13 | 6x00x25x82 | MAXIMAL (GB) | John O’Shea | Ben Melham | 19 | 53kg | 112 | |
| 14 | 7321763×46 | SOUND (GER) | Michael Moroney | Blaike McDougall | 4 | 53kg | 110 | |
| 15 | 0x0036x840 | CHAPADA | Michael Moroney | Daniel Stackhouse | 11 | 52.5kg | 108 | |
| 16 | 211119×900 | CRYSTAL PEGASUS (GB) | Chris Waller | Damien Thornton | 2 | 52kg | 108 | |
| 17 | 12219×9211 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ms Jamie Kah | 5 | 51.5kg | 1.5kg | 114 |
| 18 | 4x33219x70 | TRALEE ROSE (NZ) | Symon Wilde | Dean Yendall | 8 | 51.5kg | 106 | |
| 19e | x4x1x70116 | DURSTON (GB) | Chris Waller | Michael Dee | 6 | 51.5kg | 1.5kg | 105 |
| 20e | 21x01x9142 | MAKRAM (IRE) | Ben & JD Hayes | 7 | 50kg | 104 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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