A look at the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes

CAULFIELD STAKES

2000m, $1 million, weight-for-age

HISTORY

* First run in 1886 when won by Isonomy

* Group One since 1979

Run over 1800m 1886-1967 except for 2000m in 1887 & 1888, returned to 2000m in 1968

NOTABLE WINNERS

* Wakeful (1901, 02), Amounis (1930), Tranquil Star (1942), Bernborough (1946), Comic Court (1950), Rising Fast (1954), Lord (1958, 59, 60), Sky High (1961, 62), Winfreux (1965, 66, 67), Gunsynd (1972), Kingston Town (1981, 82), Rough Habit (1994), Might And Power (1998), Northerly (2001), Lonhro (2002, 03), So You Think (2010), Atlantic Jewel (2013), Winx (2016).

TALKING POINTS

* Winx scared away her opposition in last year’s race where she had only two opponents. This year’s field has attracted 11 runners including three European-trained gallopers

* Bonneval will be attempting to become the 13th horse to follow victory in the Underwood Stakes, the latest being Ocean Park in 2012

* Damien Oliver, with four wins, holds the record with his last winner being Whobegotyou in 2009. He rides the Aidan O’Brien-trained The Taj Mahal on Saturday

WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:

“He’s fourth-up and I think he’s ready to run one his best races this campaign” – Hartnell’s trainer James Cummings

“She’s taken big improvement out of each run and I thought her run the other day in the Underwood was great. I’m looking forward to Saturday, getting up to 2000 metres-” – Single Gaze’s trainer Nick Olive

“If she ran a couple of nice races heading into the Caulfield Cup we would have been happy, but she’s definitely exceeded expectations” – co-trainer Andrew Forsman on star mare Bonneval