Caulfield Cup: Tread carefully with the internationals

by Mark “Makybe” Freeman

Amazingly wide Caulfield Cup this year, punters. With obvious favourite Speed Gifted missing and next in line Predatory Pricer (barrier 16, jump from 14) and Vigor (22, jump from 18) drawn poorly, the internationals are the default favourites.
Despite racing in top quality races across the globe (in fact Cima De Triomphe in some of the world’s best races), backing an international sight unseen is a fraught business as you just don’t know how they’ll handle the crowd, the track, the racing style, the sight of Lillian Frank in the crowd.
A case can be made for nearly every runner, especially with the rain about and uncertainty surrounding the track rating. The marketing department at Caulfield will have us believe it will be a good 3, but it’s been damp in the southern suburbs in recent days and there could be more rain on Friday.
My only offering is Daffodil at $10 – well drawn, well weighted, good run in NZ’s Cox Plate – the Kelt Capital – last start, and thumping AJC Oaks win in Autumn.  C. ‘Monkey’ Munce to ride.
Support races include a cracking battle between Sydney’s and Melbourne’s best mares, Hot Danish vs Typhoon Tracey, with Neroli hot on their heels, and a quality group 2 sprint.
It’s in the sprint that my best for the day resides. Little Secret Flyer is gutsy, loves winning and is in possession of a blinding finish. He’s dropping back in class from a hot group 1, is 2 from 2 at the specialist 1100m and handles all conditions.
He may get a fair way back but will be flying home and by R9 of cup day the swoopers should be in the ascendancy.
So Daff, hand it over:
Melbourne R9 No5 Secret Flyer $50 e/w ($7.6 on Betfair Thursday night)
Good luck punters.

Comments

  1. Mark Freeman says

    Punters, see link to Crio’s Caul Cup yarn re special punting activity on offer today (Friday).

  2. Kenneth Briedis says

    Dear Makybe,

    I enjoyed your column once again this week. Many thanks.

    A point of clarification though, please: we’re meant to get on the horse or horses you mention at the end of the piece. That’s how I’m reading it. Am I right in doing so?

    If you could clear this matter up for me I’d be most grateful.

    Regards, Kenneth

  3. Mark Freeman says

    Dear Kenneth,

    The best advice I can give on this involves firmly fixing the retrospectoscope. As such, I can recommend that the abovementioned selection, Secret Flyer, would have been best ignored. It dudded, and gave nichts, rien, bugger all return.

    However, the selection advice given on 1 October, to unleash spare monies on the great All Silent, would have been best followed. It flashed home and nailed them, setting up Daff for the lean fortnight ahead.

    Happily, we get another crack this weekend, and of course we’re very confident leading into it. Coming out of it, this may well change.

    Welcome to the glorious uncertainties of the punt, Kenneth.

  4. Kenneth Briedis says

    Thanks, Makybe, for your reply.

    Sadly, I only jumped onboard the Almanac tipping page the week after the All Silent triumph. But that, of course, is my fault not ours.

    I have taken your advice and bought a retrospectoscope but all it keeps telling me is how you should never invade Russia just prior to winter and that if the Saints had stuck with Blighty they would have their second flag by now.

    I’ll try to tune it to all matters racing by the weekend.

    Regards, Kenneth

  5. Kenneth,

    I’m guessing that the retrospectoscope will be recommendng anything trained by Bart in a Cup which, while a week (or several years) late, may still prove to be useful advice.

  6. Kenneth Briedis says

    I’ll let you know if that’s the case, Budge.

    At the moment, though, it’s prattling-on about Crocodile Dundee III and the second Stone Roses album.

    All the best,

    Kenneth.

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