BOXING, RACING

Goldophin calls in cavalry for Caulfield

JAMES Doyle and Pat Cosgrave will share Godolphin’s wealth of riches at Caulfield’s meeting on Saturday.

Irishman Cosgrave has been booked to partner Benbatl in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) as the imports tune-up to the $5 million Cox Plate at The Valley on October 27.

Cosgrave rode Benbatl to second place behind Permian in last year’s Group 2 Dante Stakes, with subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling fourth. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor confirmed his booking.

“Pat Cosgrave is flying down to ride Benbatl at Caulfield,” he said. “The reports I have received about the horse are good. We are very happy with him, and Saturday’s race should set him up nicely for the Cox Plate.”

Cosgrave is expected to stay on to partner stablemate Best Solution in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup on Saturday week. He has won two German Group 1s on Best Solution this year.

Trainer Charlie Appleby has secured James Doyle for his four runners this weekend.

Doyle will ride Blair House in the Caulfield Stakes, Jungle Cat in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap and Comicas in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes. Doyle, who won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on Jungle Cat last month, will stay to partner Folkswood in Sunday’s Cranbourne Cup.

Folkswood won the Cranbourne Cup last season before finishing third to Winx in the Cox Plate.