Local horseman Stuart Webb believes the juicy price offered by the bookies on his smart colt Wazzenme in 2016 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas betting for this weekend doesn’t reflect the genuine winning claims of the up-and-comer.
A final field of 14 three-year-old colts and geldings is accepted to face off in the $1 million Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday, five of which are under double-figures for the win at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Stan Fox Stakes winner Impending ($4.50) and the rails-drawn Divine Prophet ($4.60) coming off a second in the same Sydney lead-up are currently battling it out for top spot in this season’s Caulfield Guineas odds.
Further down the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas betting markets at $26 is Wazzenme, a generous price according to Webb who also the fillies’ Prelude winner Legless Veuve lining-up in the $500,000 Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) on Saturday.
Drawn a treat in barrier five, Wazzenme is a nicely bred son of Wanted who has won just one of his seven career starts to date.
He’s been racing very competitively against this class of rival throughout his Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival bid including his fourth when only 1.65 lengths off Saracino in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) on September 10.
Saracino pays $13 to win the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas for the New Zealand training duo of Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman with Damien Oliver booked for the ride.
Wazzenme was last seen running third when under a length off the also New Zealand-trained winner Sacred Elixir at the track on September 24 in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).
“Other than the fact that he hasn’t won, he hasn’t done anything wrong,” Webb told Racing Victoria.
“Every run since his maiden win he’s been in the first five and he was unlucky and a neck away in the Prelude, he was great in the Danehill and good in the Vain so he’s been bombproof so far.”
The Tony Pike-trained Sacred Elixir jumps from barrier seven in the Group 1 on the weekend and is at a current quote of $6.50 to complete the Caulfield Prelude – Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas double last achieved by Helmet (2011).
The Caulfield Guineas Prelude has produced four of the past seven Caulfield Guineas winners, most recently Long John (3rd in 2013) – the same form Wazzenme brings into the elite level on Saturday.
While barrier five hasn’t produced a Caulfield Guineas winner in over 30 years, Wazzenme will be ridden in the 2016 edition by dual winning hoop Luke Nolen.
Nolen chases a third Caulfield Guineas success after his earlier victories aboard Wonderful World (2006) and Anacheeva (2010) from barriers eight and one respectively.
Webb believes stepping up to a mile will be key to Wazzenme returning to winning form for the first time since the colt’s successful debut at Bendigo back in June.
“I think 1600 is what he’s been looking for, he’s very clean-winded and it really should suit him,” he said.
Webb’s third Group 1 hope on Caulfield Guineas Day will be Great Esteem in the $500,000 Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m), the six-year-old out to improve on his dead last when sixth behind Winx in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) in Sydney on September 17.
To back Webb’s Melbourne Group 1 contingent at the right price on Saturday head to Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).