DURSTON gets up late to win the 2022 Caulfield Cup

CAULFIELD CUP DAY

One of the world’s richest handicap races is the first of the big Spring Cups and the mile and a half makes it an even more intriguing race. Often the best Melbourne Cup trials are seen here and many international horses have won the Caulfield Cup. Just in the last 15 years, five horses trained outside of Australia or New Zealand have taken out the G1. Horses that had brought form emanating a wide variety of international centres, such as Dubai, France, England, Japan and Hong Kong, have arrived and saluted.

Current trends in the Caulfield Cup

Will we see another light weight winner as we saw in 2022 when DURSTON got into the field on race morning and scored for Chris Waller? That has not been the trend with 121lbs or more carried with regularity in recent years. This has not always been the way historically. But just since 2009 there have even been four winners score with 126lbs or over. That is a significant weight over the 2400m. It has also been important to note how the 4YOs have dominated. In the last 20 years, 10 have been from the age bracket just out of their classic season.

SOULCOMBE looks a strong contender

Major contenders

Early markets on the Caulfield Cup had last year’s winning trainer with some of the main chances again. FRANCESCO GUARDI was a dominant winner of the G2 Moonee Valley Cup this time last year and has been aimed at the Cups in 2023 after missing the Autumn. The stable mate SOULCOMBE could not have been more impressive in his seasonal return at this track. It is of more note that all his form prior to that, had been centred around races closer to the Caulfield Cup trip.

Besides, Japan’s BREAKUP, a G2 winner at Tokyo in The Copa Republica Argentina over 2500m last November, is expected to contest the Caulfield Cup. Damian Lane is the likely rider there. OKITA SOUSHI is another international with some nice global form. Joseph O’Brien, already a winner of a Cox Plate (STATE OF REST) and two Melbourne Cups (REKINDLING and TWILIGHT PAYMENT), has this 5YO entered following a Royal Ascot win in June.

SOULCOMBE looks a strong contender