Seamer likes Kiwis Caulfield Cup chances
The man who rode the last Kiwi-trained mare to Caulfield Cup victory says Bonneval can match Ethereal’s heroics.
Sixteen years ago, Australian jockey Scott Seamer and the Sheila Laxon-trained Ethereal created history with a Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double.
It is such a rare feat - nobody has managed it since Ethereal in 2001.
On the eve of Bonneval contesting the first leg of that same double, Seamer has picked the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained mare to win Saturday’s $3.2 million Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Seamer has watched many of the lead-up races and despite her last start sixth in the Group I Caulfield Stakes and supposed lameness, if he could be aboard one horse, it would be Bonneval.
Bonneval, was cleared by Racing Victoria veterinarians on Thursday to start in Saturday’s race following concerns she was lame following her sixth-place finish in last Saturday’s Caulfield Stakes.
She was inspected on Wednesday and found to be one in five lame but Baker insisted there was no issue and the Makfi mare was fine.
Seamer was not sure if Bonneval had too many excuses in the Caulfield Stakes but the race was not run to suit her and the wide draw made it tough over 2000 metres.
He was confident she had not peaked and would bounce back over more ground.
These days, Seamer keeps himself busy by breeding from a 10 strong band of broodmares and preparing yearlings for the sales at his property in Fernleigh, on the New South Wales Coast, around 20 minutes drive from Byron Bay, but the golden run of Ethereal is often in his thoughts.
Seamer, was riding high on the crest of a Group I wave of success stamping his name on most of the major races in Australia. So are there any comparisons between the great Ethereal and the dual Oaks winner? Ethereal did win the Queensland Oaks before winning the Caulfield Cup the following season but considering Seamer rates the Queensland Oaks on a par with the New Zealand equivalent and Bonneval went on to win the Australian Oaks then the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam and Underwood Stakes at four, he said Bonneval was well ahead of where Ethereal was at the same stage.
"Bonneval’s obviously got better form than Ethereal had leading into the Caulfield Cup but until the race is run and won we just don’t know," Seamer said.
"We were hoping she should be able to take the next step but Bonneval’s already proved she can do that," he said.
Bonneval will carry 52.5kg, up on the 50kg Ethereal carried to Caulfield Cup glory. Jameka won the race as a four-year-old mare last year and carried 52.5kg.
Seamer also has plenty of time for Bonneval’s stablemate Jon Snow.
"Murray’s horses, he usually tees them up for a race and they are not far away once they get there and anything before is a bonus but luckily they have both gone well in their lead up races apart from Bonneval in her last start."
Seamer was impressed by Jon Snow’s win in the JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley (September 30) and would not be surprised to see him win.