Horse Racing

A full 16-horse field of stayers have been accepted for the 2011 Herbert Power Stakes on Caulfield Guineas Day this Saturday, many of which are vying for the Caulfield Cupballot exemption on offer to the winner.

Midnight Martini will vie for a Caulfield Cup ballot exemption in the 2011 Herbert Power Stakes on Saturday

The $200,000 Group 1 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) is programmed to run as Caulfield Race 3 at 12:45pm (EDT) on Saturday, betting on the race due to open at Luxbet shortly.

Included in the Herbert Power Stakes 2011 field are three internationally-trained gallopers with the Luca Cumani-trained former Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer and the Brian Ellison-trained stablemates Moyenne Corniche and Saptapadi.

The overseas horses had mixed results in the Herbert Power Stakes barrier draw, eight-year-old Bauer to jump from barrier 11, Caulfield Cup-nominated Saptapadi in the extreme outside gate 16 while last-start Ebor Handicap winner Moyenne Corniche had more luck drawing well in five.

Bauer was last seen winning the Borough Cup (2815m) at Haydock Park in Britain on September 3 and Damien Oliver, who rides them in the Herbert Power on Saturday, put the veteran through his paces in a solid gallop over 1400 metres at Werribee yesterday in preparation of their run on Saturday.

“He worked well and he seems to have arrived in really good condition,” Oliver said.

The last time Oliver partnered with the injury-prone grey was for Bauer’s 2008 Geelong Cup win and although it is a tough ask on Saturday, hopes to have similar luck in the Herbert Power.

Saptapadi and Moyenne Corniche, both still in calculations for the 2011 Melbourne Cup field having featured in yesterday’s first declarations for the $6.2 million handicap, also worked at Werribbe on Tuesday ahead of the Herbert Power.

Of the Herbert Power Stakes acceptors entered for the $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) Saturday week, the Mark Kavanagh-trained Midnight Martini is the only one under triple figures in the Caulfield Cup odds at Luxbet.

Rated a $61 chance in the Caulfield Cup markets that are lead by her stablemate December Draw ($2.80 Luxbet), four-year-old Street Cry mare Midnight Martini comes into Saturday’s Herbert Power Stakes on the back of a hard-fought win over 1800 metres at the track on September 24.

Drawn in barrier six with Glyn Schofield engaged, Midnight Martini needs to win the Herbert Power Stakes on Saturday if she is to have any chance of making the Caulfield Cup field as she currently sits equal 38^th on the order of entry.

Other notable Caulfield Cup third acceptors yesterday that race in the Herbert Power include 2007 Caulfield Cup winner Master O’Reilly (barrier 12), last-start Naturalism Stakes third placegetter Lucky Eighty Eight (barrier 14), the David Hayes-trained Danehill Dancer gelding Rebel Soldier and Toowoomba raider Anudjawun.

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2011 Herbert Power Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights