European flavour to Stakes
MELBOURNE: After arriving late following a travel hitch, European gallopers Benbatl and The Cliffsofmoher are set to run in the Caulfield Stakes.
Benbatl, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor for Godolphin, and The Cliffsofmoher, trained by Aidan O’Brien, arrived in Melbourne almost 24 hours behind schedule and were given dispensation to finish their quarantine a day early.
They will be joined in tomorrow’s $A1 million weightforage contest by the Charlie Applebytrained Godolphin runner Blair House, who ran a pleasing fourth in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on September 30.
Benbatl is a Cox Plate invitee and Blair House is also a Cox Plate entrant, while The Cliffsofmoher holds an entry for both the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.
Irish jockey Pat Cosgrave rides Benbatl and James Doyle, who won on Jungle Cat last month, returns to ride that galloper in the Toorak Handicap as well as Blair House.
Of the 12 entries in tomorrow’s race, eight are still in the Caulfield Cup.
Homesman, Night’s Watch, Thecliffsofmoher, Unforgotten, Harlem and Tosen Basil are safely in the field limit of 18, while Sedanzar and Invictus Prince need to win to earn a ballot exemption.
Darren Weir will saddle three runners as he chases backtoback victories after winning last year with Gailo Chop.
He said Humidor was now a grownup version of the galloper that ran Winx to a long neck in last year’s Cox Plate.
‘‘Everyone’s saying his manners are better this time and I’d have to say they are, but I think the barriers have had a lot to do with that,’’ Weir said.
‘‘It means he can go to sleep on the fence and not do that hanging thing he wants to do.’’
Weir said Night’s Watch would back up in the Caulfield Cup as long as the emerging stayer was running through the line.
‘‘He seems to be in good shape and every time he goes to the races he seems to be making the right steps. More importantly, after the races he’s been taking the steps at home as well.’’
The horse that excites Weir is former Japanese galloper Tosen Basil, a laststart second in the Underwood Stakes.
‘‘As the trips get longer, he’ll get better.’’
Chris Waller has group 1 winners Unforgotten and D’Argento in the race. — AAP