Viewed Victorious in Caulfield Cup

Bart Cummings-trained Viewed claimed an emphatic Caulfield Cup victory on Saturday, securing the legendary trainer with a seventh win in the tough 2400m event. It was the Cups Kings first win in the Caulfield Cup since Let’s Elope in 1991.

Defending Melbourne Cup winner Viewed, who started the race at around $15, shocked many when he surged forward early and maintained an impressive lead in the $2.5million handicap. Having drawn poorly with gate 15 and saddled with a topweight of 57kg, he beat home stablemate Roman Emperor, providing the Cups King with his second Caulfield Cup quinella and 250th Group 1 triumph.

Cummings’ third entrant in the Caulfield Cup, the up-and-coming Allez Wonder finished eighth.

Viewed’s victory earned the horse a unique place in the history books as only two other Melbourne Cup victors have been able to come back with a win in the Caulfield Cup the following year – Rising Fast (1954 – 1955) and Poseidon (1906 – 1907). He now boasts nine wins from 32 starts and has earned prize money in excess of $5.8million.

Cummings now has his sites set on the illustrious Melbourne Cup on November 3, as he aims for a ‘bakers dozen’ in the world’s richest handicap.

Danny O’Brien-trained Vigor, ridden by Corey Brown, finished a brave third in the race.

Fancied international raiders Kirklees and Cima De Triomphe did not live up to expectations, failing to place and disappointing many punters. The famous Godolphin stable’s Kirklees was eighth while Luca Cumani’s Cima De Triomphe finished well back in 13th, just behind early favourtie Predatory Pricer in 12th.

Following the win, Viewed will be re-weighted for the Melbourne Cup. Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter will announce his penalty today.

2009 Caulfield Cup Results

1. Viewed
2. Roman Emperor
3. Vigor
4. Daffodil
5. Fiumicino
6. Master O’Reilly
7. Kirklees
8. Allez Wonder
9. Zavite
10. Harris Tweed
11. Ready To Lift
12. Predatory Pricer
13. Cima De Triomphe
14. Red Lord
15. C’Est La Guerre
16. Sarrera
17. Light Vision
18. Red Ruler

With tomorrow’s Caulfield Cup boasting one of the most open fields in history, punters are finding it harder than ever to decide which of the elite runners to back. There has been much support for the international raiders since the barrier draw on Wednesday, but others aren’t so sure. Here we have a look at the top four horses dominating the betting markets today and examine their chance of success in one of Australia’s most challenging thoroughbred races.

CIMA DE TRIOMPHE

Current Odds: $8.50

Barrier: 11

Weight: 55.5kg

Jockey: Damien Oliver

Trainer: Luca Cumani

Breeding: by Galileo (IRE) from Sopran Londa (IRE)

Age: 5

Prizemoney: $1 055 046

Career: 14-5-0-2

This five-year-old grey galloper is causing a stir in the betting markets, an equal favourite with many punters and bookmakers. He has raced well last year with an Italian Derby win and has been performing well this season as well. Impressed many with his victory in the Group 3 Gerard Stakes (2000m) at Sandown in England and placed a solid fourth in both the Eclipse Stakes and Arlington Million, beaten both times by tough competitors Sea The Stars and Gio Ponti. There are slight concerns about his gate and tactical speed circulating and his lack of experience on the track, but if the pace of the race is fast he will be hard to beat with his long, big stride best suited to an all-out gallop. Prefers a good to soft track, so the dead (4) track rating at Caulfield tomorrow might be a bit hard. But with a weight of 55.5kg, 3.5kg under weight-for-age, he has excellent form.

PREDATORY PRICER

Current Odds: $8.50

Barrier: 16

Weight: 53.5kg

Jockey: Steven King

Trainer: Paul Murray

Owner: Meringo Stud

Breeding: by Street Cry (IRE) from Shady Stream

Age: 4

Prizemoney: $778 650

Career: 16-4-2-3

This Chestnut horse drew very poorly in the barrier announcement this week knocking him from clear favourite in the betting markets; drawing gate 16, which hasn’t produced a winner since Tristarc in 1985.  Still a strong talent despite not having a Group 1 win to his name as yet after a string of unlucky runs in events like the AJC Australian Derby, Underwood and Turnbull Stakes. He did impress with a win in the JJ Liston Stakes and his preparation has seen him run in all the traditional lead-up races to the Caulfield Cup so he’s had the right experience and a solid lead-up. No horse since Sydeston (1990) however, has won the JJ Liston Stakes – Caulfield Cup double.

In the last day some bookmakers have reinstalled him as the favourite with odds as short as $7, ahead of the highly fancied international raiders.

DAFFODIL

Current Odds: $8.50

Barrier: 4

Weight: 51.5kg

Jockey: Chris Munce

Trainer: Kevin Gray

Owner: G.J. Chittick

Breeding: by No Excuse Needed (GB) from Spring (NZ)

Age: 4

Prizemoney: $734 124

Career: 20-7-4-1

This four-year-old bay Kiwi mare has certainly made an impact on the betting markets for the Caulfield Cup. She is a dual Group 1 winner and has proved her staying ability in the AJC Australian Oaks at Randwick. Also impressing at the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate with a great last-to-first victory. Her age is right, with four-year-olds boasting a great record in the race. How Now was the last AJC Australian Oaks winner to also win the Caulfield Cup in 1976, but if any entry is to break this 30 year drought it’s Daffodil. She’s nicely placed, but again the dead (4) track at Caulfield may prove a problem after her best success was on a boggy track. Seemingly lightly weighted with 51.5kg, if Daffodil wins this will actually be the most amount of weight carried to victory by a four-year-old mare, heavier than what Ethereal (50kg), Arctic Scent (49kg), Let’s Elope (49.5kg), Imposera (51kg) and Tristarc (50.5kg) all carried when they won the Caulfield Cup.

KIRKLEES

Current Odds: $9

Barrier: 7

Weight: 56kg

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy

Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor

Owner: Godolphin Stud

Breeding: by Jade Robbery (USA) from Moyesii (USA)

Age: 6

Prizemoney: $ 748 482

Career: 17-8-2-4

This international raider is still the favourite with many of the leading bookmakers after drawing ideally with barrier 7. Owned by the illustrious Godolphin Stud who won the race last year with All The Good and ridded by Kerrin McEvoy who rode All The Good to victory, this six-year-old bay has it all in their favour. Kirklees is in excellent for and has Group 1 success to his name. This top European stayer has won all three of his starts this preparation. Although international stayers have only won the Caulfield Cup twice, Kirklees may just make it a hat trick. Along with Cima De Triomphe, they are the first international Group 1 winners to compete in the race.