Rich pickings up for grabs in Guineas
THE Queensland combination of trainer Tony Gollan and jockey Damian Brown have already seen enough of Rich Enuff’s rump this campaign.
The front-running threeyear-old is unbeaten in three Melbourne runs this campaign, and is a short-priced favourite at $2.30 with Ladbrokes to take out tomorrow’s $1 million Group One Caulfield Guineas, which has pulled together a great crop of youngsters.
Gollan will saddle up the striking chestnut, Looks Like The Cat, with the in-form Brown looking to follow up his Group One victory with Buffering, who downed highclass sprinter Lankan Rupee in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley last month.
The baldy-faced Looks Like The Cat has been unable to run down Rich Enuff the last two times they have clashed – the Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 13, and the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 28. The step up to 1600m should suit the Queensland colt who was placed over that trip at Eagle Farm during the winter
The Husson gelding will be suited by a solid place, but Brown will have to make sure he keeps in touch with the Ken Keys-trained Rich Enuff, which looms as the likely leader despite drawing a touch wide in barrier 10.
If Brown can track across on Looks Like The Cat, quoted second elect at $6.50, and keep in touch with the favou- rite early, the race could be up for grabs over the last 200 metres.
While Rich Enuff is entitled to his favouritism tag, the Guineas has a history of tossing up a surprise winner, and the depth in this year’s 14-horse field is strong enough to suggest the winner could come from outside the favoured pair.
The Gai Waterhousetrained Almalad has drawn poorly in gate 13, but with Tommy Berry in the irons and the right run, he looks a strong type who should relish the mile journey.
The son of Al Maher posted a powerful win last start in the Stutt Stakes over the Guineas journey at Moonee Valley on September 14. On that occasion Berry moved him forward coming to the turn and he easily accounted for Moonovermanhattan and Kumaon, who are both in the field again tomorrow.
Sydneysider Shooting To Win looks a likely type and could be the value runner judging on the manner in which he disposed of his rivals in the Group Two Stan Fox Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill last start, with Tim Clark driving him to a stylish three-length win over the well-performed Scissor Kick.
And the fact Kiwi trainer. Johnno Benner has pushed ahead with Our Vesper from the outside alley suggests he rates the Elusive City colt above average.
Good judges rated Our Vesper a little unlucky in the Guineas Prelude while a horse like Chivalry, ridden by big-race jockey Glenn Boss, could be a knockout runner with some luck in running.