Races

Deane Lester’s Caulfield Best Bets

RACE 2 NO.10 EXCELMAN

EXCELMAN has been racing well without much luck of late but gets his chance to break through for a long overdue win when he contests the Benchmark 84 Handicap (2000m). At his last start, a slow start proved costly to the four year old but he still powered to the line when finishing 2nd behind BLUE OCEAN over 1800 metres at Caulfield on April 24. He drops 5kg on that run, gets the services of leading rider Jamie Kah and will appreciate a step up in distance. He only needs a clean start to race closer to the speed and record his third career win.


RACE 8 NO.1 REAL SENSATION

REAL SENSATION appeals as the value bet on the Caulfield program when he runs in the 3YO Handicap (1600m). The Luke Oliver trained gelding has been in sterling form of late with two wins and a luckless second placing from his past three starts. His last start win over 1400 metres at Flemington on April 25 was full of merit and he will only improve further over this longer distance. He gets a 1.5kg allowance for Group one winning apprentice Teodore Nugent and REAL SENSATION should be powering home at nice odds.


RACE 9 NO.4 AYRTON

The most anticipated runner at the Caulfield meeting is AYRTON when he tackles the 3YO Handicap (1200m). The son of Ifraaj has only had two starts for two dynamic wins over summer and this run will kick off his campaign which is aimed at winning next month’s Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm. He has trialled strongly in recent weeks and should prove too good for this field as he goes on to bigger targets.

Market Market