Ciaron Maher would love to have four shots at defending his Caulfield Cup crown, but half of his team could be stranded as emergencies, including a last-start Group 1 winner.
Royal Supremacy’s place in the field could hinge on the plans for last year’s runner-up and 59kg topweight Buckaroo.
The Metropolitan victor was elevated to 19th in order of entry following the news that Changingoftheguard would not run this Saturday with Royal Supremacy’s connections sweating on Waller’s decision regarding Buckaroo, who ran third in last Saturday’s The Might And Power.
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are also yet to commit to a start with Saturday’s Herbert Power Stakes winner Brayden Star, who is exempt from ballot in the race.
The Metropolitan win was Royal Supremacy’s third success from his past four starts, with the miss being a second placing in the Group 3 Newcastle Cup (2300m), and Maher is eager to see him get his chance.
“I thought he would just win the Newcastle Cup, but it turns out the form from that is very good, and it all lined up in the Metrop,” Maher said.
“He’s improving all the time. He grabs the bit and with each run he races better. He was quite strong on the line (in The Metropolitan).”
Two spots below Royal Supremacy on the order of entry is Berkshire Breeze, who could have blinkers reapplied if he sneaks a run in the race.
It could be a similar story with Zardozi, who will be looking to improve on her fourth placing in last year’s race.
The daughter of Kingman resumed with a fifth placing in the So You Think Stakes (1500m) before seventh placing in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and 11th in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.
“Her first run was good and you’d say her next two have been under (par),” Maher said.
“Last week I expected more. I didn’t think she could win, but I expected more.
“I might just try some head gear on her, possibly. (In) a mile-and-a-half handicap, we’ll roll the dice with her. She used to pull and tug a bit, but she seems different now, so maybe the shades might be the key that she needs.”
Zardozi will be joined in the race by Middle Earth, who gets to 2400m for the first time in Australia.
The son of Roaring Lion is a Stakes winner at 2816m in England and finished third in last year’s Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (2414m) and heads in off a ninth placing in the Turnbull Stakes when he missed the start by four lengths.
“He was a bit slow away the other day, which was not ideal, but I think he’s on track,” Maher said.
“He’s never been to the mile and a half (2400m) since we’ve had him here, and he’s a mile-and-a-half-plus horse.
“He won’t be far away as a mile-and-a-half is certainly a lot different to those 2000-metre races he’s been running in.”
The field for this year’s Caulfield Cup will be finalised on Wednesday morning, when the barrier draw will take place at Caulfield racecourse.
