Race Day Caulfield Cup 2024 Field, Odds & Track Update: Muramasa, Positivity Scratched; Heavy (8) Course – Click here for more
Australia’s second most famous Cup race headlines the racing action in Melbourne on Saturday with our insider Caulfield Cup 2024 tips and best bets found below.
We look set for an engrossing edition of the iconic 2400m showdown that has been run and won since 1879.
There are a host of previous Group 1 winners in the mix including recent Underwood Stakes champion Buckaroo and classy mare Deny Knowledge on the quick back-up, plus there are a host of progressive stayers bringing in some intriguing form lines that have fame and fortune in their sights.
The Caulfield Cup is always a thrilling contest that is the first of the spring’s ‘Big Three’ races with the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup to follow in the coming weeks.
Can Buckaroo get the mile and a half and win his first race over further than 1800m?
Or will Chris Waller‘s third win in five years come via the favourite’s stablemate Land Legend drawn the rails off a lead-up The Metropolitan victory in Sydney?
Are we about to crown an international Caulfield Cup champion and third from Japan with the sole raider Warp Speed on his way to the Group 1 $8.56 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5?
Or can Warmonger shrug off his recent flat performance and return to the scintillating form that saw him take out the Queensland Derby by over 10 lengths in the winter?
Read on to see the horses we are backing and sacking in Caulfield Race 9 at 5:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to lock in your selections at the right price.
To Win: #15 Deny Knowledge ($17 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Sticking with a form mare who looks excellent on the quick back-up despite the barrier making her chances a little tougher.
A front runner leading all the way in a Caulfield Cup? Why not?! This Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Pride Of Dubai seven-year-old was given a bold ride by Mark Zahra second-up in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) here last weekend when taking control in the lead and outrunning them all including the odds-on favourite Mr Brightside.
That was a huge effort at weight-for-age and she drops right back in from the 57kg she carried with ease there to just 50.5kg on the Caulfield Cup weights. She will be absolutely airborne under those kilos with Craig Newitt a very nice lightweight champ to have aboard for the ride.
Verry Elleegant (2020) was the last Caulfield Cup winning mare and Deny Knowledge ticks a few of the same boxes.
This Grafton Cup winner was fifth to Buckaroo the run before in the Underwood over the 1800m but will relish the 2400m now.
This is obviously her toughest test to date, but she’s proven at the distance, and we know she can stay.
Barrier 17 is a blow as she’ll need to work to get up in front from there but if she gets out quick and doesn’t use too much energy crossing them, she’ll give them something to chase!
The Danger: #2 Buckaroo ($4.20 at time of publish) – BET NOW
You cannot bet on the Caulfield Cup this year and leave Buckaroo out, you just can’t.
He won the Underwood Stakes in such style two back when putting 3.5 lengths on his closest rival over the 1800m here on the back of a Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes win fresh in Sydney.
This six-year-old son of Fastnet Rock is in peak form, presents rock-hard fit, and represents dual Caulfield Cup winning trainer Waller.
Gets things his way from an ideal barrier eight draw with the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira retaining the ride. The Brazilian hoop has a wonderful record in the Group 1 races down under and has his third straight ride on the horse.
Latest run was a narrow loss in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) just edged out by Via Sistina – the ace mare heading the Melbourne Cup weights this year – at Flemington.
He gets weight relief now down from 58kg to 54.5kg and looks extremely well rated at those kilos.
Needs to answer the distance question but based on what he’s done here and overseas and the form he is in think he’ll run it out and could salute for the punters without surprising.
Each Way: #7 Eliyass ($7 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Eliyass has been near the top of Caulfield Cup betting all spring and continues to deserve a spot in all the Caulfield Cup best bets.
This talented Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained import is putting together a terrific record down under and comes in with confidence despite a blow drawing the extreme outside alley.
Incentivise (2021) was the last Caulfield Cup winner from gate 18 of 18 and this son of Le Harve has support to be the next.
He’s a six-year-old son of Le Harve still lightly raced with Saturday just his 13th start. A very progressive type and already a nine-time winner.
Yet to do it over further than 2000m but he won the Group 3 Kingston Town in Sydney two back which is proving a strong form race this season and think he’ll be better off the Turnbull run up to the mile and a half.
Definitely one to watch out for!
The Roughie: #10 Duke De Sessa ($18 at time of publish) – BET NOW
The price on this Ciaron Maher-trained galloper is attractive for a bit of a flutter and the word could be getting out with a slight move seeing him backed in from $21 to $18 at time of publish.
There’s a host of ‘next best’ in this field but think Harry Coffey’s mount ticks a few boxes in on just 52kg and drawn well in gate six.
The Irish-bred six-year-old needs to shrug his Caulfield hoodoo yet to win from six previous starts at the course but he brings in those form lines we’re all loving with back-to-back fourths in the Underwood and Turnbull respectively.
Was competitive in those lead-ups and unlike the top fancy Buckaroo is proven at the Caulfield Cup distance (4:2-0-1).
Wider out in gate 14 with a kilo more last year running ninth.
Good in plenty since and think he’s a better top three hope this season.
Caulfield Cup 2024 Odds & Results
| Runner Details | Win | Place |
|---|---|---|
|
1st
10. Duke De Sessa (5)
J: Harry Coffey 52kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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|
2nd
2. Buckaroo (7)
J: Joao Moreira 54.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
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|
3rd
8. Land Legend (1)
J: Zac Purton 53kg
T: Chris Waller |
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|
4th
13. Zardozi (9)
J: Andrea Atzeni 51kg
T: James Cummings |
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|
5th
15. Deny Knowledge (14)
J: Craig Newitt 50.5kg
T: A & S Freedman |
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|
6th
19. Fancy Man (3)
J: Ron Stewart 50kg
T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
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|
7th
7. Eliyass (18)
J: Tim Clark 53kg
T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
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|
8th
6. Warmonger (13)
J: Michael Dee 53.5kg
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
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|
9th
16. Valiant King (15)
J: Teodore Nugent 50.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
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|
10th
3. Circle Of Fire (10)
J: John Allen 54.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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|
11th
5. Huetor (6)
J: Luke Currie 54kg
T: Peter Snowden |
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|
12th
9. Young Werther (8)
J: Jye McNeil 52.5kg
T: Danny O'Brien |
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|
13th
4. Warp Speed (16)
J: Akira Sugawara 54.5kg
T: N Takagi |
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14th
11. Knight's Choice (11)
J: Robbie Dolan 51.5kg
T: J G Symons & S Laxon |
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|
15th
14. Coco Sun (17)
J: Karis Teetan 50.5kg
T: T & C McEvoy |
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|
16th
18. Sayedaty Sadaty (2)
J: Ben Thompson 50kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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|
17th
1. Kalapour (4)
J: Ben Melham 55kg
T: Kris Lees |
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|
18th
20. Berkshire Breeze (12)
J: Carleen Hefel 50kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
Data retrieved: 18/11/2024 03:46:32 PM (Australia/Brisbane)
All 2024 Caulfield Cup odds are provided by Ladbrokes.com.au, correct at time of publication, and subject to change without notice.
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Race comments
The Caulfield Cup. BUCKAROO (2) clearly on top. His last two starts have been outstanding, bolting in with the Underwood Stakes here over 1800m before heading Via Sistina in the Turnbull before that mare, who is one of the best in the country, just edged him. He's been strong late so the rise to 2400m shouldn't pose an issue and he gets in well at the compressed weights. ZARDOZI (13) took a few runs to get going but clearly improved in The Metropolitan last time, beaten a nose and arguably a touch stiff not to win on protest. For that, she gets in beautifully with 51kg and her 2400m+ form is very good. DENY KNOWLEDGE (15) is the 'weights horse' dropping back from WFA last week when beating Mr Brightside. 2400m and much more pressure here, but she's a huge chance. ELIYASS (7) is very progressive and the market loved him in the Turnbull. Very wary.