Victoria’s leading training operation, headed by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s partnership, looks to have the strongest hand in Saturday’s (15 October) AU$5 million (approx. HK$24.5 million) G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

The pair will saddle up likely race favourite Smokin’ Romans and highly regarded import Gold Trip who finished fourth in the 2020 G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) and was exported after successive Group 1 placings in France the following year.

Smokin’ Romans won the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at his final lead-up run while Gold Trip, disadvantaged by a modest tempo, was a creditable fifth in that race at just his third start in Australia.

Significantly, seven of the past nine locally trained winners of the race have had their final lead-up in the Turnbull Stakes, including the past two winners – Incentivise and Verry Elleegant who each won the Turnbull. There are no overseas trained runners in this year’s race.

Maher won the Caulfield Cup in 2016 with Jameka who had finished second in the Turnbull Stakes behind Hartnell who did not contest the Caulfield race.

Gold Trip, who had been considered a likely runner in next Saturday’s (22 October) G1 Cox Plate (2040m), will carry top-weight under Mark Zahra while the state’s leading jockey Jamie Kah takes the ride on Smokin’ Romans who carries only 51.5 kg (114lb).

“It was a tight call with Gold Trip but he’s got very good mile and a half (2400m) form and off two solid runs at 2000 metres, he’ll be ready and Smokin’ Romans looks very well in at the weights,” Maher said.

The prospect of a rain affected track will not disadvantage either of the Maher-Eustace runners but would be unwelcome for Turnbull Stakes runner-up Maximal whose trainer John O’Shea will also be represented by Benaud.

“Benaud missed the Metropolitan Handicap (G1, 2400m) after a little problem and it opened up the Caulfield Cup option,” O’Shea said, “He is going so well and was so good last Saturday behind Anamoe in the Might And Power Stakes (G1, 2000m) that we can go into the race with confidence with him and Maximal although Maximal wouldn’t want the ground too soft.”

Jockey Ethan Brown, who rode Smokin’ Romans in his past two wins, takes the ride on James Cummings trained Alegron. Brown was expected to be riding in The Everest (1200m) in Sydney this weekend and would have struggled to make the light weight to ride Smokin’ Romans in any case.