Evacuation Leads 2016 Caulfield Guineas Prelude Field & Odds

The undefeated Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained colt Evacuation has opened favourite in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude 2016 betting markets on the final field for the three-year-olds’ clash in Melbourne on Saturday.

Up-and-comer Evacuation is early favourite to win his first Group assignment in the 2016 Caulfield Guineas Prelude in Melbourne on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

One of the key support acts at Caulfield Racecourse on Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day this weekend, the $175,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) is set to run as Race 6 at 3:35pm (AEST).

An above capacity field has been accepted, with first emergency Larrikin (9) getting a run after the early scratching of the Ciaron Maher-trained Throssell (17).

More Than Ready colt Evacuation has won his opening two career starts in New South Wales, but is well fancied to handle his first interstate trip and Black-Type assignment this weekend.

After posting a dominant 2.8 length victory over 1400m on a Heavy (8) Rosehill track on August 27 as the odds-on favourite, the improver now heads south for his opening Group test.

Evacuation is well-fancied in the early Caulfield Guineas Prelude betting markets at the race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au sitting top of the odds at $4.80 with jockey Kerrin McEvoy continuing his association.

Hot on Evacuation’s Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman’s Kiwi raider Saracino backed in from $5.50 to $5 second favouritism.

Drawn a treat in barrier three with top hoop Damien Oliver booked for the ride, the New Zealand-trained Per Incanto colt has his second start down under on the weekend.

He has won back-to-back Group 2 races firstly across the Tasman and then at Flemington on September 10 with Oliver aboard for the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m).

Saracino is currently rated a $13 hope in pre-field markets for the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) over the mile on October 8, and is out over further than 1200m on Saturday for the first time since his third in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce (1400m) at home in early April run on a Heavy (10) track.

Following closely in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude betting odds are fellow New Zealander Sacred Elixir ($6) and the John O’Shea-trained Archives ($6) drawn in barriers six and 12 respectively.

Sacred Elixir is the shortest-priced of Saturday’s hopes in the 2016 Caulfield Guineas markets paying $8, the Tony Pike-trained son of Pour Moi racing for the first time since his Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) win in Brisbane on June 11.

The gelding won that juveniles’ feature by a commanding 3.5 lengths and should be flying fresh over 1400m first-up in his maiden Melbourne assignment with Damian Lane booked for the ride.

Nicely-bred Helmet colt Archives is only lightly raced having just his fourth start on Saturday, the Godolphin-raced youngster having won the Listed Hampden Stakes (1200m) at Doomben in May.

His latest run was a brave first-up second to Saracino in the Danehill Stakes when beaten only a quarter length in a run he’s out to go one better than this weekend stepping up in distance.

The Lindsay Park-trained Seaburge ($7.50) and Good Standing ($8) for Sydney’s James Cummings round out the single-figure fancies.

Seaburge has Mark Zahra aboard on the weekend, the Sebring colt chasing his first win since the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) back in March.

He was last seen crossing under two lengths away fifth in the Listed Exford Plate (1400m) behind the VRC Sires’ Produce runner-up Detective on September 10 carrying 58kg and drops to 57.5kg at set weights plus penalties this weekend.

Dwayne Dunn rides Good Standing from barrier four, the Artie Schiller colt after his first win since the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) back in February.

He hasn’t finished in the money in his four subsequent runs, but caught the eye as a $51 outsider on September 10 in Sydney when under three lengths away fifth to Astern in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m).

Check out the full Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Prelude 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and Fixed Win odds from our preferred online sportsbook Ladbrokes.com.au in the table below.