INTERNATIONAL invader, KIRKLEES, was today backed into $7 favoritism as the powerful Godolphin stable attempts back-to-back wins in the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup.
Kirklees, a winner at his last three overseas starts in top company, will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy who admits the horse is weighted up to his best with 56kg.
But the biggest move in Cup betting has been for the Bart Cummings-trained mare, Allez Wonder, which has shortened from $15 to $9 in latest betting. There has also been a good move for the Lloyd Williams-owned John Sadler-trained C’est La Guerre, firming from $21 to $16.In a wide betting race there was steady support today for Predatory Pricer ($10 to $8), Cima De Triomphe ($8.5 to $8) and the Kiwi mare Daffodil (around the $9 mark).
The Luca Cumani-trained and Damien Oliver ridden CIMA DE TRIOMPHE was the horse tipped by most of the experts, based on the quality of the opposition he has been racing against overseas.
Leading bookmaker, Mark Read from IASbet.com is however tipping Chris Munce to make a winning comeback to Victorian racing with a win on Daffodil in the Caulfield Cup.
“Daffodil’s rating is at its highest when racing at a mile and a half like we saw this year in the AJC Oaks and is blessed with the low weight,” Read said. “She comes into this race at peak fitness and is unquestionably a main threat."
Read does not rate Kirkless value believing the horse is ‘poorly handicapped’ whilst he feels Cima De Triomphe will struggle coming from the rear of the field off a slow pace. He thinks the value horse in the Cup is Light Vision.
OTHER EARLY BETTING MOVES ON THE CAULFIELD CUP CARD
RACE 1: MY GIRL HELEN $26 to $13; OFF THE PLANET $17 to $10.
RACE 2: WEASLEY $4 to $3.80.
RACE 3: MIRRASALO $9 to $7.
RACE 4: ONEMORENOMORE $9 to $7.50.
RACE 5: NO ACTION TO REPORT.
RACE 6: HOT DANISH $2.70 to $2.60; TYPHOON TRACY $4 to $3.70.
RACE 7: BAUGHURST $5 to $4.40.
RACE 8: CAULFIELD CUP – COVERED IN STORY ABOVE.
RACE 9: FIRST COMMAND $3.60 to $2.80.
RACE 10: NO ACTION TO REPORT.