A bit more joy with Odeon finished Wednesday's Caulfield meeting which will provide a bit of confidence going into Caulfield Cup day on Saturday.
WOULDA THOUGHT SO (CAULFIELD – Race 2 No 10)
I was disappointed to see this bloke scratched from his race on Wednesday, which turned out to be the perfect assignment as the winner steamed home down the outside. But David Hayes and his team have trained more winners than I ever will so they know best and I'll trust their judgement and stick with this talented galloper. Woulda Thought So gets to town for the first time after two runs in maiden grade, one for a solid second on the Pakenham Synthetic track before his terrific win at Ballarat last time out. He stepped up to 1400m for his second-up run and rattled home in the manner of a good horse to score. I think this bloke could develop into a smart horse in the autumn and give him a great chance on Saturday.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $10 @ Ladbrokes,William Hill, Luxbet, Unibet, Bet365, Neds
CLIFF'S EDGE (CAULFIELD – Race 4 No 2)
Cliff's Edge is racing in great heart this time in and has handled each step up in trip well this time in and should perform at his first go at 2000m. He had a comfortable run and proved too good over a mile at Caulfield two runs back before leading at a good clip and fighting on well to finish second to Main Stage over 1800m at Flemington last time out. He's hard-fit and should get a quieter trip up front if jockey John Allen wants to send him to the lead again. Hard to beat.
BET: WIN
ODDS $4.30 @ Bet365
SAMOVARE (CAULFIELD – Race 5 No 8)
David Hayes and his co-trainers tried to get Samovare into the Caulfield Cup and she has improved with each outing this time in. She was too classy at Moonee Valley back on September 9 but improved sharply when chasing home Harlem in a quickly-run Naturalism Stakes. She dropped back in trip and was far from disgraced at Group I level in the Underwood Stakes and she'll find the Coongy Cup more to her liking. Drawn awkwardly but Damien Oliver will find a good spot for her and I expect her to be hard to hold out.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3.60 @ CrownBet, Bet365, NEDS
SWORD OF LIGHT (CAULFIELD – Race 9 No 6)
Sword Of Light might be the blowout leg of the quaddie in the Tristarc Stakes, which will be run on her favourite track Caulfield. The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained mare has had three runs back from a spell for a win in the Group II Let's Elope Stakes at Flemington and two efforts in which she has been beaten less than two lengths. She led them up and tried hard in the Blazer Stakes last time out and is drawn for a perfect run in the Tristarc Stakes in which there might be a bit more pressure from the outside. If that comes, she'll get the box seat and can threaten at some stage.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS: $41 @ Bet365
