Darren Weir’s super colt Mahuta has opened deserving odds-on favourite to continue his winning streak with success in Saturday’s Caulfield Autumn Classic 2016 on Blue Diamond Stakes Day.
Odds-on 2016 Caulfield Autumn Classic favourite Mahuta shoots for his seventh win on the trot this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Since the blinkers went on the progressive son of Flying Spur Mahuta has won six on the trot including the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago.
He returns to Caulfield Racecourse for the third time on the weekend as the top-rated final acceptor in a 13-starter field of three-year-olds facing off in the $200,000 Group 2 Ladbrokes Caulfield Autumn Classic (1800m).
Coming up trumps with barrier one with Brad Rawiller continuing his association with the $1.68 million earner, Mahuta heads towards a quick back-up into Saturday week’s $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
But first he defends his undefeated record at Caulfield and sits at a short $1.90 to get the job done in Caulfield Autumn Classic betting through Ladbrokes.com.au.
The favourite looks very hard to beat but there are some nice types coming up through the ranks taking Mahuta on including the only other single figure chance in the current Caulfield Autumn Classic odds Tally ($4.80).
Jumping from barrier seven with big race specialist Craig Williams aboard, Tally is a Godolphin-raced Street Cry colt trained by John O’Shea and looking to extend his own winning streak out to three.
Fifth in his last black-type assignment behind subsequent Crown Oaks winning filly Jameka in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) back on Cox Plate Day, Tally’s last start was back at the Valley on February 12 where he carried 60kg to victory over the mile.
He drops to 57kg under set weights on the weekend and looks a big chance to give the favourite a run for his money if the speed is on.
The next best in betting and looking for the upset win are three $15 hopes with Flying Light, Charlevoix and Powderworks.
David Hayes & Tom Dabernig saddle-up Exceed And Excel gelding Flying Light who is another last start Moonee Valley winner.
He won over 2040m on January 23 so has a freshen-up since and drops back in distance in his first Group start since a fifth to Mahuta beaten just over three lengths in November’s Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m).
Charlevoix is the lightest-raced hope in the race having had just the one run to date when Michael Kent’s New Approach colt won over 1400m at Sandown-Hillside on debut back at the start of the month.
Powderworks is a stablemate of Mahuta also representing the in-form Weir from barrier eight with Damien Oliver booked to ride the improving Shaft filly who comes off a fourth over the distance at Sandown from February 10.
See below for the full Caulfield Autumn Classic 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and latest Fixed Win betting odds provided by the country’s leading online bookmaker and the race’s sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au!
