In typical Gai Waterhouse fashion, the master Sydney trainer was happy to sing her 2017 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas-bound colt Hualalai plenty of praises after a Monday morning trial.

An expensive $625,000 buy from the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sales, the well-bred son of Street Cry was an easy winner over 1045m in an eye-catching Randwick barrier trial this week.

In the hit-out Hualalai beat home the Godolphin-raced Piracy in his first public appearance since an impressive 1400m Rosehill win over Condor (2nd) and Heliosphere (3rd) back on July 1.

Hualalai has to date lined-up for five starts producing a duo of wins and a third place finish.

The up-and-comer’s only black-type assignment so far saw him beaten over five lengths for fifth behind subsequent Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up Pariah in his second career run at Rosehill back in late January.

Waterhouse has big plans for Hualalai this spring including a shot at the lucrative Group 1 $2 million Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14 in Melbourne.

The latest Caulfield Guineas 2017 odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au following nominations for the classic earlier this month are firmly led by Tony McEvoy’s undefeated Domesday colt Royal Symphony ($6).

The David & Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Blue Diamond winning filly Catchy ($11), who kicked off her three-year-old campaign last Saturday finishing runner-up in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes, is the next best in pre-field Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas betting.

Waterhouse is chasing her maiden Caulfield Guineas victory this season and rates Hualalai a huge hope for her and co-trainer Adrian Bott in the mile feature, with the youngster due to arrive at Tulloch Lodge’s Flemington stables this week from Sydney.

“He is the most magnificent son of Street Cry, he is owned by Spendthrift Farm, he is big and strong and everyone will know when he is here,” Waterhouse told Racing Victoria this week.

“He is a very masculine horse. He has won two of his five starts and is a really lovely colt.”

Hualalai is paying $26 in the Caulfield Guineas futures markets.

Another early contender right in Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas contention this season is the Peter Gelagotis-trained Levendi.

Yet to taste defeat after a successful debut by nearly three lengths over 1200m at Ballarat on June 4, the son of Pierro is at $34 to take out the Group 1.

The team are eying a return in mid-September for Levendi this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival with the spruik colt heading towards the Group 3 $175,000 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on October 1.

The next round of entries for the event are the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas 2017 first acceptances closing at midday on September 12.

Now is the time to check out the full Caulfield Guineas betting odds and options online at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of the spring’s best markets.