Chris Waller’s Golden Rose winner Militarize heads the 15-horse Neds Caulfield Guineas 2023 final field for this weekend’s major in Melbourne.

The spring features continue in Victoria on Saturday with a top-class field of three-year-old mile types facing off in the Group 1 $3 million Neds Caulfield Guineas (1600m).

Donning the number one saddlecloth with the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira to ride is three-time Group 1 winning Dundeel colt Militarize.

The star youngster won the Inglis Sires’ – Champagne Stakes double as a juvenile before adding a third elite level to the trophy cabinet on September 23 in the Golden Rose Stakes.

He is back up to a mile now third-up and fit heading south for his first run outside of Sydney.

How Militarize handles the opposite way of racing will be key to him becoming the first horse since Ole Kirk (2020) to complete the Golden Rose – Caulfield Guineas double.

Waller has prepared two past Caulfield Guineas winners with Press Statement (2015) and The Autumn Sun (2018), and Militarize is his sole chance at a third victory in 2023.

There are three other last start winners in the Caulfield Guineas field this spring including the undefeated Paul Preusker-trained Steparty chasing his sixth victory.

The talented Artie Schiller colt continues to perform as the bar is raised.

He was a narrow winner at the track last start claiming victory in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).

Jockey John Allen continues associations this weekend with Steparty looking to continue his flawless career in his first 1600m assignment.

Representing the powerhouse Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable is the also in-form Trapeze Artist colt Griff who chases a third win on the trot in Melbourne.

Last time out on September 29 he raced under the lights at The Valley and posted a narrow victory in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m).

He is proven at the distance now and is out to frank that form at Caulfield in the Group 1 with Ben Melham coming aboard for the ride.

Wolfy is the other runner looking to extend a winning streak with Nick Ryan’s Kiwi-bred Tivaci colt up notably in grade after breaking his maiden status at Sale two back before carting 59.5kg to victory in a Benchmark 64 at Flemington last start.

Maher & Eustace meanwhile saddle-up a total of four runners in the $3 million feature with Griff joined in the line-up by the highly-rated King Colorado, along with Prelude place-getters and Southport Tycoon (2^nd) and Scentify (3^rd).

Michael Dee partners Kingman colt King Colorado who is a Group 1 winner over the mile having won Brisbane’s J.J. Atkins as a two-year-old back in June in a 30/1 upset.

He was ninth fresh behind the older horses in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) just over two lengths beaten in a promising return before a seventh in the Golden Rose.

King Colorado was under two lengths off Militarize in a big Golden Rose effort that is better than his placing suggests.

He is rock-hard fit now and ready to fire up to 1600m presenting as a genuine threat here.

Little Brose for the Hayes’ boys is the other highest-rated Caulfield Guineas acceptor this season.

The well-tried Per Incanto colt has his ninth career start on Saturday.

He is a previous Group 1 winner at the track having won the Blue Diamond Stakes back in the autumn.

This time in he has had three lead-up runs all at the Caulfield course most recently finishing sixth in the Prelude when carting 59kg.

Little Brose is back to set weights this weekend with the soon-to-retire Damien Oliver aboard one of likely dangers.

The 2023 Caulfield Guineas barrier draw took place at 12:45pm (AEDT) and has also been updated below with Militarize drawing barrier 12.

Click here to view the latest Caulfield Guineas 2023 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Caulfield Guineas Final Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.