Sportsbet Caulfield Guineas (Group 1)

THE Sword Of State colt Warwoven stamped his authority over his three-year-old cohort by following up his Golden Rose success two weeks ago with victory in Saturday’s A$3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.

The $2.40 favourite, trained by Bjorn Baker, settled fifth in the 11-horse field as the early leaders jostled for position, as Rachel King on Warwoven was in a smooth rhythm, one off the fence. The Group 3 Guineas Prelude winner Blind Raise led into the straight just as King popped Warwoven out three-wide to be in clear air.

Chasing Blind Raise, the pair cleared out from the rest as King, riding hard, had Warwoven wearing down the leader. Levelling up at the 100-metre mark, Warwoven stamped his imprimatur on the race to win by nearly two lengths in an impressive display that had the ‘stallion shares’ register ringing loudly.

The Ace High gelding Blind Raise held second with the Dundeel colt Call Me Coach a further three lengths away in third.

Remarkably, a superstitious Bjorn Baker didn’t come down to Melbourne for the race. “I wasn’t there when Caballus won the Newmarket (Handicap) and wasn’t there when Pericles won the Futurity (Stakes) so I couldn’t go down for a third Group 1 in Melbourne in the same year and spoil it,” said Baker from the races at Warwick Farm.

“It was a different sort of pressure today. He’s already won a Group 1 (Golden Rose) so I could see a lot of downside going into this race. Obviously thrilled to win, but I was very, very nervous before the race because we know how much he’d be worth if he could win.”

Cox Plate

Warwoven is currently the second favourite for the Cox Plate on October 24th, though Baker was non-committal on a start, “We won’t be rushed and we’ll have a really good think about what we do”.

A winner of six from nine and almost $3 million in stakes, the aptly named first-crop son of Sword Of State out of Needle And Thread, a $380,000 Magic Millions yearling, is now the third colt after The Autumn Sun (2018) and Ole Kirk (2020) to complete the Golden Rose-Caulfield Guineas double.

On board for every start has been Rachel King, whose husband Luke Hilton is Bjorn Baker’s racing manager. “He leaves me speechless,” she said.

“There were a few question marks today. We didn’t know how he’d handle going this way around, and Caulfield’s not an easy track to come to, first time the Melbourne way. But he’s just got so much class and he was still arrogant again.

“I know a lot of people said, ‘How can he peak again?’ But I don’t think he has peaked. I think there’s still more there. I’ve certainly never sat on a horse like this, and he’s pretty unbelievable.”

Hyland Race Colours Toorak Handicap (Group 1)

SOMEWHAT the forgotten mare of the Chris Waller stable, Lady Shenandoah won her first race for 19 months to claim a fourth Group 1 in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield over 1,600 metres. Undefeated in her three-year-old season, Lady Shenandoah won five in a row, culminating in a third Group 1 in the 2025 Coolmore Classic at Warwick Farm before a run of 10 starts without success ensued.

Asked to carry topweight of 58 kilograms from barrier nine in the field of 15 on Saturday, the five-year-old Snitzel mare found herself buried away at the top of the straight. Fighting for a run, James McDonald angled at a meagre opening with Lady Shenandoah doing the rest.

Barging through at the 100 metre mark, the pair ran down Welcometotheshow to hit the front and prevail in a tight finish. The Autumn Sun mare Changing Colours was a head away in second, with the Showtime horse Welcometotheshow a nose away in third.

“She hadn’t won for a while and I keep saying to everyone that it’s not that she doesn’t try, she’s got great tenacity, but she just hasn’t had much luck, and she’s raced against the best horses in the land,” said McDonald.

“For her to win like that, she aimed up a needle eye gap, she just burst through. An incredible performance, really. Great for the team to get her over the line and I think Chris and the team will be over the moon with that because everyone in the stable loves her. You can tell why, she’s just a beauty.”

Livamol Classic (Group 1)

THE Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Waitak came from a near impossible position to claim back-to-back victories in the Livamol Classic at Hastings last Saturday.

Ridden by Craig Grylls in the 2,040-metre Group 1, Waitak was last and the widest runners swinging into the straight. Ahead Tuxedo took charge with Waitak under urgent riding, scrambling to make up ground.

Running through his gears on the ‘soft 7’ track, the Proisir seven-year-old gelding kept finding, collaring Tuxedo, to defeat the Tivaci gelding by a length, with the Redwood mare Who Knows in third. The win, Waitak’s tenth in 41 starts, was also his fifth Group 1 success in a career that has yielded over NZ$2.34 million in stakes.

“Craig believed in the horse, and he was so strong, just a warhorse,” said co-trainer Andrew Scott “We were confident he would finish strong when you could see he was relaxed and that is when he finishes best.

“He stayed well and he has been so wonderful for us. This type of horse is just so hard to find, and we have a great team or good people around us to make this all happen.”

ENFJAAR, trained by Roger Varian, Harry Charlton’s Wine Dark Sea and Joseph O’Brien’s Starford are the three international runners that will take part in today’s A$6 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup over 2,400 metres.

The pre-race favourite is the Turnbull Stakes winner from two weeks ago Cosmic Crusader trained by Andea Leek, whilst Ciaron Maher has a stacked hand with five confirmed starters and three more filling the four emergency slots.

Four Irish jockeys have rides with Johnny Allen on Kingswood, Robbie Dolan on his 2024 Melbourne Cup-winning mount Knight’s Choice, Jamie Spencer on the Irish-bred Royal Supremacy trained by Ciaron Maher, with Ray Dawson, on his first trip to Melbourne, on Enfjaar.

“He stays the trip quite well and he likes quick ground,” said Dawson.

“He’ll like a fast pace. He’s a horse that likes to get into a rhythm, which is what happened at Goodwood.

“If there’s a nice gallop on, it will play to our strengths. He’s going into the race in great condition, and I wouldn’t swap him for anything.”

O’Brien quintet safely in Cup

THE Melbourne Cup field is down to 58 following Tuesday’s second declarations. The Joseph O’Brien-trained five of; Defiantly, Sons And Lovers, Trustyourinstinct, Goodie Two Shoes and James J Braddock are all guaranteed a run whilst Kizlyar (33rd in the order of entry), Starford (50th), Small Fry (56th) and Omni Man (57th) remain paid up.

Chris Waller also has five guaranteed a start; Aeliana, Birdman, Ohope Wins, Asterix and Soul Of Spain, with a further four outside the 24. Whilst Ciaron Maher has four runners inside the 24, Mr Monaco, Shockletz, Middle Earth and Royal Supremacy with a further eight also declared.

Local markets currently have Defiantly and Half Yours as A$9 equal favourites, with James J Braddock and Trustyourinstinct at $11.

HONG Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising will endeavour to emulate Redzel in 2017-2018 and land back-to-back Everest wins at Randwick today.

A wet track is forecast for the A$20 million slot race over 1,200 metres with David Hayes’ star rated a $1.40 chance for a 22nd straight win. Broadcast to 200 countries, last year’s race set a record for World Pool wagering with $16.44 million placed on the race.