South Africa will be strongly represented at the 2014 Caulfield Cup day in Melbourne, Australia. Doug Whyte and Chad Schofield both have rides in the day’s feature and David Payne also saddles a number of horses on the day’s card.
The 2014 Caulfield Cup, to be run over 2400m on Saturday, 18 October at Caulfield Racecourse, has become one of Australia’s richest Thoroughbred horse races and with a stake of A$3 million, is the richest of its type in the world. The race is held annually in October on the third day and final day of the Melbourne Racing Club Spring Carnival. Critically, performances in the Caulfield Cup are one of the possible qualification methods for a run in the Melbourne Cup which is held 16 days later.
Entry conditions
The field is limited 18 starters with 4 emergency entries which is decided by a ballot system. The prize money, wins, and placing in lead up races are among the major factors that determine the eligibility of a horse. Automatic entry are awarded to winners of the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes and the Listed Mornington Cup.
On 10 October 2014, the Hong Kong Jockey Club issued a press release that it was granting a leave of absence for Doug Whyte, Zac Purton and Joao Moreira to attend the meeting, but Moreira’s ride, Gris Caro, was a late scratching. Frenchman Christophe Lemaire and the Singapore based Australian Corey Brown also fly in for the big race and the Cup field boasts six overseas trained runners.
Whyte will partner Junoob for the all-conquering Chris Waller stable. Whyte has often resisted overtures to come to Melbourne and Waller is delighted to have his services. “He’s a great jockey. His record speaks for itself,” Waller said.
Whyte, who arrived in Melbourne on Friday, said the Chris Waller-trained gelding was in fine form and rated Junoob as a live chance to take out the $3 million race. Junoob was a last-start winner of the Gr1 Metropolitan over 2400m at Royal Randwick on 4 October 2014. “I am riding for the in-form stable; Chris Waller is flying and it’s a privilege to be riding for him,” said Whyte. “I’ve watched his last two runs, they’ve been very strong, dour efforts and his last run in particular was a fantastic effort. He worked from the 700-out and he was three-deep and he stayed on tenacious all the way to the line; he could have thrown in the towel at any time but he was very dour.” Whyte said he was disappointed with the barrier (15) but would ‘sort that out’ when the gates opened.
Chad Schofield, son of Glyn, will take the ride on Robert Hickmott’s Green Moon. Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon hasn’t won a race since claiming the ‘Race That Stops The Nation’ in 2012, but did run one of his best races since when he traveled on the pace before finishing second to Fiorente in the 2014 Gr1 $1m Darley Australian Cup over 2000m at Flemington during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival. The English import has been settling out the back at his two runs this campaign with a sixth to Dissident in the Gr1 $400,000 Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m at Flemington on 13 September, followed by a fifteenth to Lucia Valentina in the Gr1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes over 2000m at Flemington on 4 October. Green Moon will jump from barrier five in the eighteen horse field.
Turnbull Stakes winner Lucia Valentina, trained by Kris Lees and ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, is the favourite for the Caulfield Cup with Bande, Dandino, Admire Rakti and Junoob the next four in the betting order.
The 10 race card gets under way at 03:50 local time and South African fans can look forward to seeing our compatriots in action as follows:-
Race 3 – 2000m A$120,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes
Chad Schofield rides Veuvelicious for Brent Stanley and David Payne will be legging Hugh Boman into the saddle for the ride on Lady Macan.
Race 5 – 1400m A$150,000 Gr3 Sportingbet Moonga Stakes
Chad Schofield takes the ride on Flamberge for Black Caviar’s trainer, Peter Moody.
Race 7 – 2000m A$150,000 Gr3 David Jones Cup
David Payne saddles Honorius and has the services of Corey Brown in the saddle, while Chad Schofield partners Pinstripe Lane for the Leon Corstens yard.
Race 8 – 1100m A$200,000 Gr2 Perri Cutten Caulfield Sprint
Doug Whyte takes the ride on Pago Rock for Australian Hall of Fame trainer, David Hayes, while Chad Schofield will partner Thermal Current for Peter Moody
Race 9 – 2400m A$3million 2400m Gr1 Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup
The field for the day’s feature will be under starters orders at 08:40 local time. Chad Schofield rides Green Moon for Robert Hickmott, while
Doug Whyte will be in the irons on Junoob for Chris Waller.
Race 10 – 1100m A$120,000 Listed Polytrack Alinghi Stakes
In the final race on the day’s card, Doug Whyte will Nicamorae for the David Hayes yard.
