Punters warming to the chances of Jon Snow in Saturday's Caulfield Cup can take confidence in a common thread last season's Australian Derby winner has with the last two winners of the Caulfield Cup.
Last year's Caulfield Cup winner Jameka finished runner-up to Tavago in the Australian Derby while Mongolian Khan won the Australian Derby in 2015 before winning the Caulfield Cup the following season.
Jon Snow is in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday along with Hardham (3rd) and Inference (6th) which finished behind him in the Australian Derby last April.
Long regarded as superior form to the Victoria Derby due to its autumn time slot, the Australian Derby has proven to be a solid guide to finding the Caulfield Cup winner in recent years.
Since 1979 there has been 12 winners of the Australian Derby contest the Caulfield Cup for three winners - Mongolian Khan, Sky Heights (1999) and Tristarc (1985) as well as four placings.
In addition to winners of the classic, since 2000 there has been five Caulfield Cup winners in the same season they contested the Australian Derby.
Descarado finished runner-up to Shoot Out in the 2010 Derby, Railings finished third in the 2005 Derby and the 2004 Caulfield Cup winner Elvstroem finished fifth in the Derby after winning the Victoria Derby in the spring.
Mummify won the Caulfield Cup in 2003 after finishing third in the Derby while Diatribe finished seventh in the Derby and won the Caulfield Cup in 2000.
Jon Snow looks ready to peak in the Caulfield Cup following four races in Melbourne, winning the Group III JRA Cup at Moonee Valley two starts back before his third place behind Gailo Chop and Johannes Vermeer in last Saturday's Group I Caulfield Stakes.
Similarly Inference - who arguably should have won the Victoria Derby - made late headway along the inside to finish fifth in the Caulfield Stakes.
Jon Snow's stable mate Bonneval won the ATC Oaks last season and is currently favourite for the Caulfield Cup.
By contrast, the record of Oaks winners in the same year as the Caulfield Cup is not as impressive as the Derby winners.
The last female to complete the double was How Now in 1976 following Leilani in 1974, that pair the only winners from 25 winners of the Oaks to run in the Caulfield Cup the same year in the last 50 runnings.
Jon Snow and Inference are available at $15 with several wagering operators for the Caulfield Cup before the barrier draw. Hardham is available at $51 with several wagering operators.
