Caulfield Guineas

The Caulfield Guineas has always been the race where fans obtain a glimpse of future champions.  It was first run in 1881 when Wheatear defeated Royal Maid and Topaz and since then has been a highlight of the spring calendar. Some of the best horses to race in Australia have won or placed in this time honoured event and below is a overview of careers of champions to have won and other sensations surrounding the race. 

Recently inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame Heroic was successful in 1924.   Heroic was also known for his occasional ‘tantrums’ which cost him in several races and this was attributed at the time to his inbred pedigree where his sire and dam had the same grandsire.  Sold through the 1923 he went for the high price of 1800 guineas to Jack Corteen.  Heroic showed ability from the start and overcame an eye problem to easily win the Breeders Stakes.  Taken to Melbourne he stormed home to run a close second in the Debutante stakes before returning to the winning list in the Gwyn Nursery a week later.  To complete his first preparation he bolted away to win the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington. 

His first start in the Autumn was against the older horses in the Oakleigh Plate.  It was in this race he first showed the problems to follow when he jumped slowly and refused to race truly in the crowded field  finishing well back in the 31 horse field.  Back to 2yo company burdened with 64.5kg he won by a neck setting a weight carrying record.  He was then sent out favourite in the VRC Sires Produce but played up at the start missing the start badly and although he hit the front in the straight weakened to run second.  Heroic backed up five days later in the Ascot Vale Stakes and defeated future iron horse Fujisan by 1 ½ lengths. 

Sent to the Sydney carnival he lined up for the AJC Sires Produce but as the field jumped Heroic just stood there.  The field had gone 200m before Heroic finally consented to move and ambled after the field looking around all the way to the line.  Less than two weeks later back to his best he won the Champagne Stakes in record time. 

Returning as a 3yo Heroic again refused to race in the Warwick Stakes then ran an Australian record in defeating Gloaming in the Chelmsford Stakes.  In the AJC Derby he settled in second behind the tearaway leader and took the lead around the home turn.  Nigger Minstrel and Spearfelt gave chase and the three colts went stride for stride to the line with Heroic holding on from Nigger Minstrel and Spearfelt.  A week later Heroic was in Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas.  The huge drop in distance made no difference as Heroic won by three lengths from Versine and Sir Dighlock.  Heroic was then favourite for the VRC Derby but his owner was disqualified after an inquiry into the Caulfield Cup.  This resulted in the horses being banned until sold.  Heroic was sold for 16,000 guineas, a record price, at auction to Charles Kellow and went to the stables of Jack Holt.   

His won his fourth race the Autumn Stakes for his new connections and to that stage had perfect raceday manners.  Starting favourite in the All Aged Stakes Heroic turning on a bucking display and took no part in the race.  Sent out later that day for the Cumberland Stakes he again refused to jump with the field and finally gave chase but was a long way behind them past the post.  

Spelled until his 4yo season Heroic where second up he won the Memsie Stakes from Whittier and Spearfelt carrying 60.5kg.  Three starts later he won the Caulfield Stakes before lining up in the Herbert Power Hcp as a lead up to the Caulfield Cup.  He ran second but was later found to have been injured in running.  After being eased in training he returned for the Flemington carnival week but raced below his best and was spelled.  After two first up placings over the longer distances Heroic was switched to the Newmarket Hcp where he was given 61kg.  With the leaders throughout he won easily by 2 length to Perspective.  Three starts later he won the Cumberland Stakes by 1 ½ lengths from Windbag.  He was then a close second to Windbag in the AJC Plate before a break. 

 Heroic returned to racing as a 5yo in magnificent fashion winning the Underwood Stakes by two lengths before defeating Manfred in the Memsie Stakes after the pair fought it out for the length of the Caulfield straight.  The race took its toll and Heroic didn’t race again until the Cox Plate where he defeated Limerick by three lengths.  Spelled until the autumn he returned to win the William Reid Stakes then the Orr Stakes before taking out the St George Stakes.  Unplaced in the Newmarket two starts later he was back in form taking out the two mile King’s Plate.   Heading to the Sydney carnival Heroic lost all form and was retired after 4 unplaced runs. 

At stud Heroic was also a champion winning seven successive sires premierships but after 9 crops he was found to be impotent and despite trying everything his retirement from stud was announced.  On December 21 1939 Heroic slipped on wet grass and broke a foreleg and couldn’t be saved.   His owner Charles Kellow offered hi body to the University of Sydney to try and discover the cause of the problem that ended his stud career.  Due to the warm weather and its effects there wasn’t enough time to do an examination but his skeleton was sent to Vet School at the University where it was mounted.  The skeleton was later sent to the Colin MacKenzie Museum in Canberra to stand alongside Malster.  This museum later became the Institute of Anatomy and its building is now the National Film and Sound Archive.  The Institute of Anatomy became part of the National Museum of Australia. 

Two years after Heroic was withdrawn from stud his son Ajax won the Caulfield Guineas.  Ajax was bred at Widden Stud and was raced in partnership with AW Thompson, EL Baileu and Mr Constable.  He was trained by Frank Musgrave at Caulfield and easily won his first two starts despite taking on huge fields on both occasions.  Sent out favourite for the VRC Sires Produce Ajax produced his only unplaced run before being sent to Sydney where he won the AJC Sires Produce and AJC Champagne Stakes.

 First up from a spell he won the Chatsworth over a mile before heading back to Sydney to win the Rosehill Guineas in race record time.  In the AJC Derby he raced with the front runners all the way only to be run down by Avenger in the run for the line.  It was then back to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas.  Only 7 days later Ajax gained his revenge defeatin avenger in race record time with Hua third.  The trio met again in the VRC Derby where Hua narrowly defeated Ajax with Avenger a close third.    Ajax’s next start and victory in the Linlithgow Stakes was the start of his historical 18 successive victories.  Those wins included setting a weight carrying record for a 3yo in the Newmarket handicap, winning the mile All Aged Plate in a time equalling the Australasian record and rampaging through the Melbourne spring winning the Underwood, Memsie, Melbourne Stakes, Caulfield Stakes, Cox Plate and Mackinnon, Linlithgow and CB Fisher Plate.  After winning another four races at the autumn carnival he started the 40-1 on favourite for the Rawson Stakes.  Spear Chief came with a late run to defeat the favourite and this single race is what Ajax is often remembered for rather than his incredible record.  Ajax won his next two races in Sydney before spelling and returning to win the Underwood and the Memsie Stakes.  After an injury enforced break he returned in the autumn to line up under a huge weight in the Futurity Stakes.  Over the final 600m Ajax and High Caste battled the race out with Ajax proving the stronger winning by a half neck in race record time.  Ajax went on to win another three races for the autumn before a spell.

 He opened his 6yo campaign with a win in the Underwood at Moonee Valley before winning the Memsie at Flemington.  He then won the Melbourne Stakes before a second in the Caulfield Stakes and finally a close defeat in the Cox Plate behind Beau Vite.  Ajax was then offered for sale at auction and sold for 6500 guineas in March 1941.  He stood alternatively at St Aubins stud and Widden Stud and his early crops performed well with Magnificent winner of the AJC and VRC Derbies his best.  After 7 seasons at stud Ajax was sold to Charles Howard to replace Seabiscuit at stud and stood for another 11 seasons but only met with minor success.

 High Caste was known as the Strawberry Bull and came from New Zealand in 1939 after impressive wins in his early 2yo races.  He continued his success in Australia with his 6^th victory being in the Ascot Vale stakes before heading to Sydney where he was defeated in the Fairifeld Hcp  to the shock of racegoers and connections.  He won the Champagne Stakes before a spell.

 Returning at 3 he won the Hobartville Stakes and Rosehill Guineas before running second to Reading in the AJC Derby in the three starts against his own age.  He then won the Craven Plate and Clibborn Stakes before defeating Reading and Zonda in the Caulfield Guineas.  He then defeated Landlaw and Reading in the Caulfield Stakes before an unplaced run in the Cox Plate. After a second in the VRC Derby High Caste then deadheated with Manrico in the Linlithgow Stakes before winning the CB Fisher Plate two days later. In the autumn High Caste easily won the Challenge Stakes in Sydney before heading to Melbourne to clash with Ajax.  In the CF Orr Stakes high caste got up along the inside of Ajax to win narrowly.  He again got through on the rails to win in a tight finish with Ajax as Reading finished hard down the outside he tried to savage Ajax while High Caste got his head in front on the line. 

First up as a 4yo High Caste won a Flying at the defunct Victoria Park racecourse before running third in the Canterbury Stakes.  In the Hill Stakes High Caste passed the post first but was relegated to second on protest behind Beau Vite.  He then won the Clarendon hcp and then won the Epsom Hcp.  Third in the Craven Plate High Caste then went to Melbourne where he won the Caulfield Stakes from Ajax equalling the course record.  After a fourth in the Caulfield Cup High Caste started 4 times over the Flemington carnival.  He ran second in the Mackinnon on the Saturday then dead heated with St Constant in the Yan Yean Stakes on Cup day before winning outright in the Linlithgow Stakes on Oaks day.  He then won the CB Fisher Plate again on the Saturday.  He was spelled after a second in the Williamstown Cup.  In the Autumn High Caste’s first win was the Futurity Stakes under the huge weight of 66kg.  After a 4^th under 64.5kg in the Newmarket High Caste then won the 2800m Kings Plate only 5 days later.  Two days later he was again successful in the CM Lloyd Stakes before heading to Sydney.  Placed 3 of 4 starts he was spelled.

 As a 5yo in 1941 High Caste won the Warwick Stakes first up then the Hill Stakes three starts later.  A second in the Epsom and third in the Craven Plate before a third in the Caulfield Stakes followed.  High Caste returned to form taking out the Linlithgow and CB Fisher Plate double for the third successive year.  A spell followed with the stallion resuming with a win in the Challenge Stakes then dead heating with Mildura in the Australia Day Hcp.  In a close finish High Caste was too good in the St George Stakes but soon after lost form with a third in the All Aged Plate the best of his last 4 runs.  High Caste was retired to stud at SegenhoeStud NSW where proved to be a good stallion siring his share of winners.

In 1945 it was an exciting finish to the Caulfield Guinas when Attley and Royal Gem crossed the line locked together.  Attley was sent out the short priced after defeating Royal Gem in the Moonee Valley Stakes with the field also including Ajax’s son Magnificent who had earlier won the AJC Derby) plus Don Pedro.  Around the turn Royal Gem hit the front but was soon joined by Attley, Magnificent and Don Pedro.  Attley took over but Royal Gem fought back and they hit the line together.  A dead heat was called and then it was revealed they had passed the post in race record time.  Attley finished his career with 21 wins while Royal Gem won the Goodwood, Toorak and Caulfield Cup in the same year before being exported to stand at stud in the US siring the Kentucky Derby winner Dark Star who was the only horse to defeat Native Dancer.

One of the best ever to race in Australia, Tulloch took out the Caulfield Guineas in 1957.  A winner of 36 races from 53 starts Tulloch showed brilliance as a 2yo winning 7 of 13 starts.  As a spring 3yo he was undefeated winning the Caulfield Guineas – Cup double in addition to winning the AJC, VRC and QTC Derby treble.  In the autumn he won 6 of 8 starts before becoming sick with severe scouring.  Tulloch did not race until nearly two years later and although not as dominating won 5 from 5 that preparation.  In his final season he won 10 of 19 and was retired to stud.  He was not all that successful but race fans still called in to see him at Te Koona Stud farm til his death in 1969.  

In 1969 the Caulfield Guineas saw the second clash of star sprinters Vain who had carried all before him as a 2 and 3yo so far and Daryl’s Joy the New Zealander who had inflicted Vain’s second defeat at their previous start in the Moonee Valley Stakes and later went on to win the Cox Plate.  At Caulfield though Daryl’s Joy could match the champion chestnut as Vain outsped the field to win by three lengths from Daryl’s joy with 6 lengths to the classy Wood Court Inn, who went on to win the Thousand Guineas, third.  Vain went on to add the Craven A Stakes, Linlithgow and George Adams Hcp to his honour roll that was headed by the Golden Slipper before being injured and retired to stud.  Vain then went on to prove a champion sire with his progeny including the champion 2 & 3yo Sir Dapper.

A year later the Showdown filly Dual Choice won the Caulfield in outstanding fashion winning by three lengths.  She went on to prove herself one of the best sprinter-milers of the modern era winning the Craven A Stakes, Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate as a 3yo.  She repeated her Oakleigh Plate victory at 4 followed by a second in the Newmarket before retiring to stud.

The last filly to win the Caulfield Guineas is champion 3yo Surround.  After winning 5 of 9 races as a 2yo Surround came into her own as a 3yo. Fist up she defeated the fillies in the Ailsa Hcp at Moonee Valley before defeating Bagalot in the Ascot Vale Stakes.  She then defeated Savoir and Family of Man in the Moonee Valley Stakes and then went straight into the Caulfield Guineas.  In the race she defeated Family of Man by 2 ½ lengths with the AJC Derby winner Great Lover third.  Surround then went on to win the WS Cox Plate then won the VRC Oaks.  In the autumn she was too good in the CF Orr Stakes and Blamey Stakes before being run down by Bonfield in the Futurity Stakes.  She was unplaced in the Australian Cup but after treatment by a chiropractor returned to form with a dead heat with Family of Man in the Alister Clark Stakes.  Galloped on at her next start she was unplaced in the Australasian Champion Stakes but was soon back to her best winning the AJC Oaks then the QTC Oaks.  She easily won the Grand Prix but then started having leg problems.  Unplaced in the Brisbane Cup she was spelled for the spring.  Unplaced in the Liston and Craiglee Stakes Surround was then second in the JF Feehan Stakes to Vice Regal and it was felt she had returned to form.  But soon after the leg problems returned and Surround was retired to stud. 

The brilliant Luskin Star was unstoppable in 1977 and followed in the footsteps of Vain in winning the Golden Slipper and Caulfield Guineas in the same year.  After his brilliant racing career Luskin Star retired to stud to become a champion sire and his fillies are now sought after as broodmares. 

Manikato was yet another brilliant 2yo Golden Slipper winner to go on to success in the Caulfield Guineas at three.  Manikato turned into a champion sprinter, one of the best horses to race in Australia and he won 21 races now holding Group 1 status more than any other (though he won 12 Group 1s during his racing career) including 5 successive William Reid Stakes.  In the Caulfield Guineas Manikato and Karaman had a bumping duel down the straight resulting in a protest that was later dismissed.  Manikato was then second to Always Welcome in the Craven A Stakes before returning in the autumn to win the first of his William Reid Stakes, CF Orr Stakes, Futurity Stakes, George Ryder Stakes in Sydney before going to Brisbane and winning the Doomben 10,000. 

Kingston Town the greatest horse of the modern era didn’t win the Caulfield Guineas but was placed in the race.  In 1979 Kingston Town came from Sydney with the Champion tag but didn’t relish his task going the Melbourne direction.  In the Caulfield Guineas he struggled into third behind Runaway Kid and Bold Diplomat.  He was then fourth in the Caulfield Cup and second in the VRC Derby after badly twisting a plate.  Kingston Town then went on to be a champion and even conquered his dislike of Caulfield to win the Caulfield Stakes later in his career. 

In 1982 the Caulfield Guineas was one of a number of classic encounters by a group of colts who filled the placings Grosvenor, Veloso and Cossack Prince.  The trio went on to fill the trifecta in the VRC Derby with Grosvenor also running second to Kingston Town in that memorable third Cox Plate victory.  Grosvenor later went on to be a champion sire in New Zealand.    

In the 1980s the race became familiar with upsets as in 1983 it was thought that champion colt Sir Dapper had a mortgage on the race after sweeping through the Sydney races.  New Zealand colt Beechcraft proved too good running down Sir Dapper in the straight.  Then in 1987 star colt from New Zealand Our Poetic Prince was many lengths in front when he passed the post eased up.  Soon after returning to scale the protest siren went and the protest was upheld with Marwong awarded the race from Our Poetic Prince who then ran second in the WS Cox Plate before taking the race out the following year.  In 1986 punters were left in shock as 250-1 outsider Abaridy raced away to win and remains the longest priced Group 1 winner in Australia. 

The versatile Mahogany won the Caulfield Guineas in 1993.  He later went on to win the VRC –AJC Derby double before running a first up second in the 1995 Cox Plate to Octagonal and then switched to sprinting where he won the 1995 and 1997 Lightning Stakes. 

St Covet defeated Marwina and Blevic in the 1994 rendition of the classic with Blevic going on to win the VRC Derby and is now making his name as a sire while St Covet proved a top class racehorse before becoming a promising sire before dying young.  Marwina also proved a class racehorse on the racetrack before going to stud and siring a number of stakeswinners. 

In 1995 another star crop was emerging with Our Maizcay the Australian bred but New Zealand based speedster having created a huge impression with his 2yo record before returning to top form in the early 3yo races in Sydney.  There were queries over whether such a brilliant horse could handle the 1600m but Our Maizcay was never in trouble putting a three length gap on the field on straightening to win effortlessly from Ravarda with a black colt running on late for third called Octagonal.  Our Maizcay went on to the Cox Plate but couldn’t sustain his brilliant speed losing ground in the final stages.  Returning in the autumn he was injured and retired to stud in Queensland where he has produced a number of stakeswinners including Great Crusader.  Ravarda only had the opportunity to produce one foal a filly called Miss Eleni while Octagonal when on to win the Cox Plate then took all before him in the autumn culminating in memorable wins in the Rosehill Guineas, Mercedes Classic and AJC Derby against the likes of Saintly, Filante and Nothin Leica Dane.  He then won races such as the Underwood Stakes, Australian Cup and Mercedes Classic to the delight of race fans before parading at Morphettville in Adelaide and in Brisbane to farewell racegoers.  At stud he has produced a number of stakeswinners including the Champion Lonhro. 

Alfa narrowly defeated Intergaze with Encosta De Lago third in 1996.  Alfa continued to add to his record but  had injury problems.  Intergaze went on to prove a near champion winning many races at weight for age including Octagonal’s farewell race in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (a race he won again 2 years later) and Australian Cup.  His first foals are starting their racing careers this season.  Encosta De Lago has already started to forge a career as a stallion producing over 10 stakeswinners.

A small but select field lined up in 1997.  General Nediym from Queensland, Encounter from NSW while Schubert, Umrum and Gold Guru represented South Australia.  Mid race Umrum suddenly dropped out o all contention while General Nediym poured on the speed in the home straight but it was Encounter who proved too goo defeating Schubert and General Nediym with Gold Guru making ground late.  Umrum was later gelded and returned to form winning the Toorak 2 years later and again in 2000.  Gold Guru went on to defeat Might and Power before winning the AJC Derby from Tie The Knot while Encounter and General Nediym have headed to stud while Schubert was sent to Hong Kong. 

1999 was billed as the clash between star 3yos Testa Rossa and Redoubte’s Choice and they lived up to the hype.  As they winning post drew closer Testa Rossa looked to have the upper hand but Redoubte’s Choice came again to grab the lead and win.  Redoubte’s Choice was retired to stud by the net season but Testa Rossa raced on winning a second Vic Health Cup (now known as the Dubai RC Cup) and taking out the Emirates Stakes with a fantastic sprint carrying59kg to pass Weasel Will in the final sprint to the line.  Testa Rossa retired to stud with his oldest progeny now yearlings. 

In 2000 the sensations returned as Skalato raced through the field to burst clear and win from Show A Heart but later he returned a positive swab and with further problems never returned to his best form retiring to stud.  Show a Heart went on to finish behind Sunline in her devastating second Cox Plate win then returned to Caulfield the following year to win the Toorak Hcp with an astounding finish down the outside of the entire field.  To finish his career Show A Heart was a close second to Falvelon in the Doomben 10,000 before turning to tables on the fellow Queensland star winning the Stradbroke Hcp then heading to stud. 

The following year looked a vintage field with much discussion surrounding the two Woodlands Stud colts Viscount and Lonhro.  In the race itself Lonhro flew from near last at the turn to win going away from Ustinov with Pure Theatre third.  Viscount finished close up and went on to run an unlucky third in the Cox Plate before returning in the autumn in winning fashion before injury brought about his retirement to stud.  Ustinov won the AAMI Vase on Cox Plate day but Lonhro was soon sent for a spell.  In the autumn Lonhro returned in top form but just as fans discussed whether he was more likely to aim for the classic races or Doncaster it was announced that a virus has ended his autumn campaign.  Lonhro returned in the Missile Stakes taking his winning sequence to eight but then Defier just ran him down in the Warwick Stakes before an unlucky fourth in the George Main.  Heading to Melbourne Lonhro then ran down Sunline in a memorable Caulfield Stakes before being left flat footed and a long way back in the Cox Plate when the frontrunners put the pace on mid race.  Lonhro, though at the end of a long campaign, then won the Mackinnon before spelling for the autumn.  In the autumn he was undefeated at weight for age with his only defeat on a leader bias wet track in the Doncaster before bolting away in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.  He ended the season with the rare feat of five group 1 wins. 

Last year in 2002 most discussion was whether Blue Diamond winner Bel Esprit would stretch his brilliance to 1600m.  There was then alarm with race fans as the colt was snagged back rather than taking up his expected roll up front.  In that position was the flashy chestnut Choisir while the field also had up and comer Helenus and a promising stayer from NSW Half Hennessy.  In the straight Choisir kicked but the backmarkers were running on as Helenus started to storm home and then Bel Esprit ran on from nowhere.  As they hit the line Helenus was in front from Bel Esprit who was making ground right to the post with Choisir a gallant third.  All four mentioned went on to Group 1 success as 3yos with Helenus winning the VRC Derby and Rosehill Guineas, Bel Esprit winning the Doomben 10,000 and Choisir winning the Lightning before heading to England and astounding European racing winning at Group 1 and Group 2 level on the straight course in the same week.  He then ran a gallant second in the July Cup before his retirement to stud on return to Australia was announced.  Half Hennessy went on to win the QTC Derby and was fancied in current Cups betting until recent injury. 

This a smaller but top quality field are to line up in the Caulfield Guineas.  Much of the discussion is around if Ambulance the horse that start his career in Adelaide can run down speed machine Exceed and Excel who has lived up to the hype that started before his first race start.  The only filly is the highly rated Hasna while Scardee Cat, Lago Delight and others have arrived on the scene since winter.  One of the classic 3yo events of the season promises to provide a classic race yet again.

© Cyberhorse 2024 Jenny Barnes Published 09/10/03