Melbourne is host to a super day’s racing this Saturday with a 10 race card for Caulfield Guineas Day, the meeting’s short distance feature being the 2014 Schillaci Stakes.
Not Listenin’tome is first-up and ready to fire in Saturday’s Schillaci Stakes 2014. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Running as Caulfield Race 4 at 2:45pm this year’s $200,000 Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) field may be small with only seven in the mix but there’s plenty of class in the ranks.
Three horses do battle in the latest Schillaci Stakes betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au with the returning Rubick narrow favourite at $3.50 (out from $3.40) to win first-up off an eight month let-up.
Gerald Ryan’s Encosta De Lago colt had his last start on February 22 here at Caulfield when a brave fourth to Earthquake in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
Saturday then is his three-year-old debut and Kerrin McEvoy rides him from barrier one in the weight-for-age showdown.
Hot on Rubick’s heels in the latest Schillaci Stakes odds is then Gary Moore’s dual Group 1 runner-up Not Listeninto’me ($3.60) and the Gai Waterhouse-trained 2013 Golden Slipper winner Overreach ($3.80) who has been the best backed coming in from an opening quote of $4.20.
With three livewire hopes in a small field below we’ve got our insider Schillaci Stakes tips to help you decide who to back and who to sack!
1st
#3 Not Listenin’tome ($3.60)
Like the narrow favourite this Dylan Thomas four-year-old is first-up here having last run second to Appearance in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick in mid-March. Before that won first-up at Caulfield over 1200m in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes, good form for this resuming run at the same track. Also runner-up to Zoustar as a three-year-old in Flemington’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. Undefeated first-up (2-2-0-0) and in a small field can keep that record going on Saturday.
2nd
#4 Overreach ($3.80)
Group 1 Slipper winner for Waterhouse last year this now four-year-old Exceed And Excel mare is only lightly raced with setback keeping her to five starts, three of which she’s won and the other two providing a second and third. Last time out was in April last year, so 18 months ago, when third in the Group 1 Sires Produce in Sydney. She comes into this on a winning Sydney barrier trial but needs to handle Melbourne, where she hasn’t run since October 2012.
3rd
#5 Platelet ($8)
Dual Group 1 winning mare in Adelaide, this is Darren Weir’s Strategic mare’s first run of the spring and as a six-year-old. Last start runner-up in The Goodwood, which she won the previous year, from a wide barrier (15 of 19). Small field suits here, down in class and will be improving off the run.
When you’re ready to place your Schillaci Stakes bets head over to Ladbrokes.com.au and make sure to also check out their exclusive Megapick offer giving you a chance to win $3 million for an outlay of only $3 this Caulfield Cup Day!
*All odds quoted are Fixed Win from Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change
