16/9/20 Caulfield Races: Caulfield Cup early predictions

The time honoured Caulfield Cup is only trumped by the Melbourne Cup as Australia's premier handicap for stayers.

Contested over 2,400m, the whopping $5 million purse makes the Caulfield Cup the richest mile-and-a-half handicap in the world.  

With just over four weeks until the Group One classic, we talk to David Gately and Michael Gannon and get their early predictions for the race.

Caulfield Cup Stakes: Horses to follow  

Gator says...

MASTER OF WINE

I can see why TAB had him as the early favourite, given he just profiles perfectly.

He's an improving stayer from a quality stable and is not yet a Group One winner, meaning he will get in with a lovely weight. 

He proved at the at the tail end of last prep that he is a Group One horse, following an excellent effort in the red hot Queen Elizabeth Stakes off a wide run.

I wish he ran better first-up in the Winx Stakes, but looking at the race forensically, I think he was a forgive job. He went through his first 600m some 3.5 lengths faster than he has ever gone in a race previously and was wide without cover. 

His run on Saturday in the Makybe Diva Stakes was solid and he kept closing, but the slowly run 1600m second-up was clearly not ideal for him. 

Expect him to peak over his next couple of runs and prove a major contender in this year's Caulfield Cup. 

ZEBROWSKI

A stablemate of Master Of Wine, who ran by that horse when fresh in the Winx Stakes at just start number 7.

His second-up run over 1600m was solid enough in an on-speed dominated race, where he was fourth fastest home. Expect him to rake further improvement stepping out in distance. 

He's a four-year-old on an upward spiral who won't get any weight. With the possibility of no big international invasion this year, he may be the one to run well in this race at big odds.

SHARED AMBITION

Had a tough task first-up on a Heavy 10 at Randwick.

He then went to the Chemslford Stakes where he was no hope from the back and out wide, yet still ran on well in a split only bettered by Avilius. 

Sure, he needs to keep improving. Though it should be worth noting that he easily accounted for Youngstar in March. That mare ran sixth in a Melbourne Cup which was full of high-class international athletes.

Gannon says...

RUSSIAN CAMELOT

Was huge first-up on Saturday, when running second behind Fierce Impact in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

He was wide the trip on a slow pace, so he was entitled to finish off the way he did. However, the run suggested that he's returned in great order. 

VERRY ELLEEGANT

Waller has her flying!

She won first-up in the Winx Stakes, where she defeated subsequent Group One winner Fierce Impact. 

She likes it wet, so any rain in the lead up is ideal!

2020 Caulfield Cup All-In market