A total of 124 horses have been nominated for the 150th running of the $6 million Caulfield Cup, with 24 Group 1 winners among the entries for the October 17 feature.
Champion trainer Chris Waller has the largest representation with 18 nominations, while Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien has entered 15 horses as he attempts to add the Caulfield Cup to his previous Australian victories in the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate.
O’Brien’s leading contenders include last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Goodie Two Shoes and Epsom Derby placegetter James J Braddock, while Royal Ascot winner Limestone and Group 2 Curragh Cup winner Trustyourinstinct are among his other potential travellers.
His father Aidan O’Brien has entered just one horse, Group 2 King Edward Stakes winner Causeway. The champion trainer’s best Caulfield Cup result came when Anthony Van Dyck finished second in 2020.
Reigning champion Half Yours heads the Group 1 winners nominated and could attempt to become the first horse since Rising Fast to win consecutive editions of the Caulfield Cup.
Half Yours completed the famous Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double last spring and could chase another piece of history this year.
The first six horses home in last year’s Caulfield Cup have all been nominated again, while Australian Cup winner Light Infantry Man, Doomben Cup winner Birdman, Buckaroo and Cosmic Crusader add further depth to the entries.
The four-year-old contingent is headed by Bjorn Baker’s ATC Australian Derby winner Green Spaces, with six of the 12 locally trained horses from that age group already Group 1 winners.
The 150th Caulfield Cup will be run at Caulfield on Saturday, October 17.
