CF Orr Stakes day Caulfield racing preview – The Sydney Morning Herald

Race 1

There is no doubt that Signoff is the class horse in the opener on Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes day. The veteran stayer has changed stables and has not been seen at the races for a while, but he has been given a nice build-up for this race and is capable of sprinting well fresh. Hipparchus returned to winning form at Flemington last start and will start this race as favourite, but will likely get a fair way back from the wide draw. Refulgent is never far away in these sort of races, while Nozomi has been racing well.

Race 2

This is a very open edition of the Autumn Stakes and seven of the eight horses in the field are available at single-figure odds with Ladbrokes. Attention was not really suited in the Expressway Stakes and this is a much better race for the Stratum colt. Kerrin McEvoy will likely look to control the race and he will be tough to run down. Ruthven is an untapped horse with a great deal of potential. He was unlucky not to win the Sandown Guineas atjust his third start and it would not surprise to see him go to another level this preparation.

Race 3

The Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies could produce the favourite for the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes in a fortnight. The unbeaten Catchy opened as a clear favourite, but all the early money has been for Limestone. She has improved each time that she has been seen at the races and she still has a great deal of upside. Artic Angel is the X-factor in the race. She ran serious time when she won the Merson Cooper Stakes in the spring and she will give her rivals something to catch. Catchy must be respected, while Blondie is a horse that appeals at double-figure odds.

Race 4

Team Snowden have an outstanding record when they bring two-year- olds to Melbourne and Pariah should be very tough to beat in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings. He looks like a very professional racehorse and there was a lot to like about the way he hit the line in theCanonbury Stakes. Property won the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview in impressive fashion and he maps to get a lovely run into this race with Craig Williams in the saddle. It would not surprise to seeAzazel take a big step forward second-up.

Race 5

Jennifer Lynn is a filly with plenty of talent and she looks to have a clear class edge over her rivals in the Kevin Hayes Stakes. She was beaten first-up by Navagio, but she is sure to have taken plenty of improvement from that run. Fuhryk opened as the early favourite, but it is fair to say she was a touch disappointing in the Inglis Dash. She had no excuses for that defeat and may have had enough this time in. Zunbaqa produced a number of credible performance in her maiden racing campaign and must be respected.

Questionable form: Chautauqua, with Tommy Berry in the saddle, claims the Chairman's Sprint Prize in Hong Kong. Photo: supplied

Race 6

There is no doubt that Chautauqua holds the key to the Rubiton Stakes. He has lengths on this field if he performs at his best, but the jury is out after he failed to fire in both the Moir Stakes and theManikato Stakes in the spring. It would be great to see him return to his best. The horse that could take advantage of any chinks in the armour of Chautauqua is Wild Rain. She makes her own luck right on the speed and her record at 1100 metres is excellent. She will give the big grey something to catch. Hellbent has been a touch disappointing at his past two starts, but is an extremely talented sprinter on his day.

Race 7

The Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes is always an interesting betting race and the 2017 edition is no different. The Australia Stakes is the key form reference and it would not surprise to see Black Heart Bart turn thetables on Malaguerra. Black Heart Bart has far more upside at the 1400 metres and he won the Memsie Stakes over this track and distance in the spring. Lucky Hussler was a good thing beaten in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes last year and he had no luck whatsoever in the Magic Millions Cup. The X-factor in the race could be Arod. He is a genuine world-class galloper on his day and his only run during the spring was excellent. Awesome Rock, Turn Me Loose, Palentino, He's OurRokkii, Jameka and Divine Prophet are all group 1 winners in their own right.

Race 8

The Carlyon Cup is one of the trickiest betting races of the day. Darren Weir has a very strong hand and it would not surprise if he trained the trifecta with Burning Front, Humidor and Real Love. This is the easiest race that Tally has contested for some time and he is capable of running well first-up. Tom Melbourne has always had a massive amount of potential and Lee Freedman believes that he may finally have gotten to the bottom of the Dylan Thomas gelding. Grande Rosso has been racing well and has a fitness edge over the majority of his main rivals.

Race 9

Nobody will be leaving Caulfield early on Saturday as this is a very interesting race. Ameristralia has the fitness edge over her rivals and has been racing well this preparation. Abbey Marie and Silent Sedition fought out the finish in the Australasian Oaks last year and a repeat would not surprise this weekend. Abbey Marie has not been seen at the races since that win, but she has three wins from as many race starts. The early money for Thames Court is no surprise. She went to another level during the 2016 spring carnival and first-up last campaign she was only narrowly denied in the Cockram Stakes.

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CF Orr Stakes day Caulfield racing preview - The Sydney Morning Herald