If you like Mongolian Khan’s chances of saluting in the Caulfield Cup, you’ll be wishing you picked him out on Friday.
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The Murray Baker-trained four-year-old has stormed into favouritism for the 2400m race after an eye-catching third place behind Criterion and Happy Trails in Saturday’s Caulfield Stakes.
Mongolian Khan was caught in traffic until well into the final straight but almost grabbed the leaders on the line and the performance was enough to see his Caulfield Cup price slashed from ($13) on Friday in to ($4.60).
Friday’s favourite Hauraki has shortened slightly from ($9.00) to ($8.00) despite not running since finishing second in the Group 3 Craven Plate at Randwick on October 3. Set Square, who finished third in the Turnbull Stakes a day later shares the second line of betting at ($8.00), also in from ($9.00).
The Cup will be without Amralah, who was a ($21) chance before taking out the Herbert Power Stakes on Saturday. Trainer Lloyd Williams will now aim the six-year-old at the Mackinnon Stakes, where he finished dead last a year ago, or at the Melbourne Cup.
Sertorius remains unloved at ($101), having finished sixth in the Herbert Power, more than six lengths behind Amralah. Bondeiger was a couple of lengths closer in fourth, but is still at ($67) for the Caulfield Cup.
Punters aren’t rating the form coming out of the The Metropolitan at Randwick on October 3, with winner Magic Hurricane slipping from ($26) out to ($34), while topweight and second-placed Beaten Up has drifted from ($34) to ($41).
Japanese six-year-old Fame Game has eased slightly from ($10) to ($11) and Turnbull Stakes winner Preferment remains an unlikely starter at ($13), while stablemate Royal Descent has tightened from ($17) in to ($13) after yet another placing on the weekend.