The latest instalment of Racenet's spring futures tips features the Group I Caulfield Cup (2400m) and The Everest (1200m).
STEPHEN BRASSEL
CAULFIELD CUP – BONNEVAL ($8 Crownbet): This mare has won her past five and resumed with a brilliant win in the Dato Tan Chin Nam over 1600m at Moonee Valley. She's had four starts beyond 2000m and won the lot including the NZ and Australian Oaks when she rolled around the field and won running away in the style of a special stayer. In the right yard, being prepared by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and it doesn't matter whether the track is wet or dry on the day.
THE EVEREST – MENARI ($7 Luxbet): There's so many questions still to be answered in the lead-up to the $10m race, not the least being whether Menari actually lines up in the Everest however I'm banking on him earning his slot via the Golden Rose then going to the big race as favourite. He's an ultra-exciting colt and has returned in magnificent order with a couple of impressive wins against his own age but I'm confident the big boy will handle the step up to take on the older sprinters, and with 53kg on his back I wouldn't be surprised if he blew them away.
CLINTON PAYNE
CAULFIELD CUP – HARTNELL ($9 Ladbrokes): Giving him the benefit of doubt for being beaten at Flemington last Saturday. He was second-up and he had to do a bit of work to cross the likes of Hey Doc and Black Heart Bart early. Think he's better ridden with a sit and I also think he's at his best at 2400m. He will bounce back and has a winnable weight in the Caulfield Cup.
THE EVEREST – CHAUTAUQUA ($6.50 Crownbet): I had the feeling he was going bloody well at the trials then I couldn't have been more impressed the way he closed off first-up last Saturday. Reeling off five sub 11 second sectionals to finish the race indicates he could be going as well as ever and if that's the case he's going to take some beating at Randwick on October 14.
BRAD WATERS
CAULFIELD CUP – ADMIRE DEUS ($21 Sportsbet): The Caulfield Cup is very difficult this year because most of the fancied runners have some sort of negative in their form to complicate the decision-making process. I'm not expecting Almandin to run in the Caulfield Cup, thinking he'll go to the Moonee Valley Cup a week later. Like most of the others, Admire Deus has a negative in his form with the fact being the horse hasn't won since March 2015 but his form around some of the best gallopers in the world has been strong in the last 18 months. He has been close up behind star stayer Kitasan Black in a couple of races and only finished four lengths from superstar Maurice in a Group I race over 2000m last spring. I'm willing to have a small bet on him at $21 at this stage.
THE EVEREST – VEGA MAGIC ($6 Luxbet, Bet365): This bloke is unbeaten for trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig and is poised to join the top echelon of Australian sprinters with a win in The Everest. He has great natural pace and gets himself into the perfect positions behind the speed and waits for his chance to pounce on his opposition. He carried 60.5kg to victory when beating fellow Everest contender Brave Smash when resuming at Listed level and he was a dominant winner when controlling the speed in the Memsie Stakes. I like the fact he has had a 1400m run this time in because he'll be strong enough for a quick 1200m pace and will be tough to beat with his racing style.
TOM WALTER
CAULFIELD CUP – GINGERNUTS ($19 Sportsbet): This tip should be prefaced by my respect for Humidor. I've been with the Darren Weir-trained galloper since the start of the preparation and been fortunately rewarded but I'm just not sure about him at 2400m in a handicap with 56kg. Gingernuts only has 1kg less but you know he will gobble up the mile and a half and he resumed with an excellent run in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) in New Zealand earlier this month. Heads to the Windsor Park Plate (1600m) on Saturday before crossing the ditch. Doesn't strike me as a horse that will love the turning Caulfield track but if he draws a gate expect him to be right in the finish.
THE EVEREST – CHAUTAUQUA ($6.50 Crownbet): Not hard to sell this tip. He's the king of the Randwick 1200m course and possesses a finish the others simply can't match. First-up run in the Shorts was as good a seventh as you'll see anywhere on a racetrack. The extra 100m will be to his liking whereas I have doubts about some of the others in a high-pressure six-furlong race.
DARRYL SHERER
CAULFIELD CUP – BONNEVAL ($8 Crownbet): Not an easy choice this far out and suspect Saturday's Naturalism Stakes will have an impact. Hardly an original choice but Bonneval is open to so much physical improvement you have to think she is in the race up to her neck. Won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes first-up when she is better at 2400m and will be peaking on the day. Copes with all sort of going and not harshly treated at the weights. Obviously respect Almandin if he runs now he has no risk of a Melbourne Cup penalty.
THE EVEREST – CHAUTAUQUA ($6.50 Crownbet): He's the best horse in the race and hard to see him beaten if the race is truly run. Showed with his finish first-up he's in good form and the only thing that can go against him is if it is slowly run early, then it will become mathematically impossible for him to win, even allowing for his finish. If it's truly run he's the best horse in the race and should win.
BEN DORRIES
CAULFIELD CUP – HUMIDOR ($6 Ladbrokes): This once troublesome former Kiwi galloper has a great sense of timing as he heads towards the Caulfield Cup. Was always a huge talent but was often wayward. But has now won two Group Is in his last five starts including producing an amazing finishing burst to thump Hartnell in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Will be even better at the Caulfield Cup distance and has the x-factor to blow them away.
THE EVEREST – REDZEL ($7 Bet365): Redzel is still an under-rated sprinter by many, but you know what you are going to get as he attempts to scale the Everest. He will be up in the firing line and he is as good on wet as on the dry, which can't be said about a few of his Everest rivals. Winning form is good form and he's won his last fourincluding the Group I Doomben 10,000. Happy to snap up the $7 for this fighting tiger who will be devilishly hard to get past.
TOM BADDOCK
CAULFIELD CUP – HARTNELL ($9 Ladbrokes): Hartnell was well beaten as an odds-on favourite in the Group I Makybe Diva Stakes by Humidor but I think we will see a better performance as the distances increase. Hartnell was sitting up on a very strong tempo and was still swinging in the finish to fight on gamely for second, it was a performance full of merit. He's a proven spring performer, boasting a Cox Plate second to the mighty mare Winx and a Melbourne Cup third to Almandin. I'm confident Hartnell can emulate the feats of Dunaden (2012) and Admire Rakti (2014) carrying 58kg to win the race.
THE EVEREST – REDKIRK WARRIOR ($8 Bet 365): This horse is an undeniable talent and could be the new star amongst the sprinting ranks in Australia. Never looked like getting beaten last preparation when first-up in the Newmarket Handicap, breaking a 100-year-old record in the process. Again, smashed his rivals first-up in the Group II Bobbie Lewis Quality and he'll be kept fresh to climb The Everest. He's also proven the Sydney way of going in Hong Kong, so that won't be an issue. He will need a dry track as he didn't handle the wet tracks last preparation but if he gets conditions to suit, he's going to be awfully hard to run down.
