Caulfield Cup field taking shape ahead of Coongy Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

The Caulfield Cup (2400m) will be run and won on Saturday, October 15.

The final field for this year’s Caulfield Cup is starting to take shape, with Racing Victoria releasing an updated order of entry ahead of the 2400m Group 1 event on Saturday.

A capacity field of 18, with four emergencies, are expected to be revealed when acceptances are released at 3:30pm AEDT on Wednesday, October 12, following the running of the Coongy Cup.

The Coongy Cup is the final opportunity for runners to gain ballot-exemption into the time-honoured event.

The Chris Waller-trained Great House sits 18th on the order of entry and will be relegated to first emergency if the winner of the Coongy Cup takes their spot in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup.

Great House gained a last-minute start in the 2021 Caulfield Cup following the scratching of Quick Thinker last year and may be in need of a similar occurrence if he is to gain a start in Saturday’s event.

Two horses inside the top 18, Gold Trip (Annabel Neasham) and Sheraz (Chris Waller), look to be the only runners who are unlikely to line up in the 2022 Caulfield Cup.

Neasham is hoping Gold Trip can gain a start in the Cox Plate (October 22), which will give her a third runner in the event with Zaaki and Mo’unga both expected to head to the weight-for-age championship.

Having competed in the Might And Power, Benaud and Nonconformist are both expected to make the quick seven-day backup following impressive performances in the 2000m Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.

Online bookmakers have Turnbull Stakes winner Smokin’ Romans as a $5 favourite, while Benaud ($6.50), Gold Trip ($9) and Nonconformist ($9) are the ones punters have come for in recent times.

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