THE Autumn Sun’s vice-like grip on Saturday’s $2 million Caulfield Guineas looked to tighten even further when the boom colt today drew perfectly in barrier 5.

Just hours after taking his first look at the track, in a strong and positive gallop on the course proper with stablemate D’Argento, the Chris Waller-trained horse found the perfect alley at the Caulfield Guineas barrier draw.

While the son of Redoute’s Choice will likely settle back in the run, jockey James McDonald will be able to give the last start Golden Rose winner the perfect run.

Darren Weir’s pair Leonardo da Hinchi and Native Soldier drew barriers 10 and 4, Mick Price’s Tavisan will jump from 9, and James Cummings’ luckless runner from last Saturday Ranier drew awkwardly in 15.

The only filly of the race, Tony McEvoy’s Oohood, will jump from barrier 6.

Thousand Guineas favourite, Kris Lees’ filly Smart Melody drew perfectly in barrier 2, while Waller’s Fiesta drew alongside in barrier 3.

The Autumn Sun, who won the Golden Rose in devastating fashion last start, worked alongside stablemate D’Argento in a gallop down the Caulfield straight, and importantly had no issue with the track.

“(He was) perfect,” a delighted Waller said of the $2 Caulfield Guineas favourite who will start from barrier five.

“James McDonald was on board and he said (he was) on the right legs at the right time and did everything right.”

“We are very aware that some Sydney horses struggle at Caulfield for the first time. We have thought about that probably six weeks ago, so he has done a lot of galloping left-handed. This morning was basically just to give him a look at the layout of the track and to get familiar with the place.”

BARRIER DRAW
1: Muswellbrook

2: The August

3: Mr Exclusive

4: Native Soldier

5: The Autumn Sun

6: Oohood

7: Outgrageous

8: Ragged Rascal

9: Tavisan

10: Leonardo da Hinchi

11: Gem Song

12: Saccharo

13: Vassilator

14: Good’N’ Fast

15: Ranier

“He was relaxed in the work and after the work. It looked pretty straight forward. He is a very professional horse, you will see that the more you watch him. (He) takes everything in his stride, he’s not a horse that worries about anything and that is a big attribute for him.”

When asked if the Redoute’s Choice colt — who can further enhance his already $20 million-plus stud value with victory on Saturday — was the most exciting horse in his stable apart from wonder mare Winx, Waller said he had a significant upside.

“It would be hard to be detrimental to other horses in the stable but he has the potential to be a very good horse,” Waller said.

“He has the potential to give us something beyond Winx, whenever that may be.”

He suggested it was more unlikely than likely that the colt would go to the $5 million Cox Plate at The Valley following Saturday’s race.

James McDonald was delighted with the work from The Autumn Sun, who will partner him on Saturday, and was eagerly looking forward to the Guineas.

“He was really well balanced around the bends which was important,” McDonald said.

“I know obviously galloping trackwork is a bit different to race pressure, but I was pretty happy with the way he got around the bends.”

“He finished off his work really nicely.”

Waller brought a small team of horses to Caulfield on Tuesday morning, including Caulfield Stakes contenders Unforgotten and D’Argento, Thousand Guineas hope Fiesta and Toorak Handicap chance Noire.

FILLY IN, BUT STABLE NOT
COMPUTER error is being blamed for a mix-up over Ducale’s ambitious — and short-lived — Group 1 Thousand Guineas tilt.

Paul Perry’s filly was one of 16 acceptors for the $500,000 Guineas at Caulfield on Saturday, but was removed from the race by Racing Victoria stewards after the error was uncovered.

Stewards found the horse was “accepted in error against the stable’s wishes”.

A $201 chance in TAB Guineas markets.

Ducale’s entry into the race triggered an investigation involving Racing Australia, stewards and the acceptance program Stable Assist.

RV said “preliminary inquiries indicate that a technical glitch within the online system is most likely to have led Ducale being accepted….when the Perry stable did not intend to do so”.

“Given the circumstances regarding her withdrawal from the Thousand Guineas, RV stewards will permit Ducale to accept for Saturday’s Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, which was the stable’s desired target and for which she was nominated yesterday,” RV said.

Ducale has won only one race and finished last at Flemington on Saturday at $81.

With Leo Schlink
CAULFIELD GUINEAS MARKET
Opening price/before barrier draw/post barrier draw
1 THE AUTUMN SUN (5) $14 $2 $2

2 NATIVE SOLDIER (4) $51 $9 $8.50

3 RAGGED RASCAL (8) $301 $51 $51

4 LEONARDO DA HINCHI (10) $51 $7 $7.50

5 OUTRAGEOUS (7) $26 $34 $34

6 GEM SONG (11) $51 $21 $21

7 MUSWELLBROOK (1) $101 $34 $34

8 GOOD ‘N’ FAST (14) $26 $18 $21

9 VASSILATOR (13) $26 $81 $81

10 THE AUGUST (2) $51 $26 $26

11 TAVISAN (9) $101 $13 $13

12 RANIER (15) $51 $13 $15

13 MR EXCLUSIVE (3) $201 $61 $61

14 SACCHARO (12) $101 $51 $51

15 OOHOOD (6) $18 $15 $15

Odds: TAB Fixed Odds
BIGGEST POTENTIAL COLLECTS ON THE GUINEAS
$3,000 at $26 on The August to win for $78,000

$200 at $101 on Ranier to win, $300 at $26 to place for $28,000

$200 at $101 on Outrageous to win for $20,200

$150 each-way on Vassilator at $101/$23.22 for $18,633

$100 at $81 on Vassilator to win, $350 at $16.23 to place for $13,780.25

$500 at $26 on Vassilator to win for $13,000

$500 at $26 on Good N Fast to win for $13,000

$1,000 at $13 on The Autumn Sun to win for $13,000

$100 each-way on Tavisan at $101/$26 for $12,700

$600 at $21 on Saccharo to place for $12,600

$375 each-way on Tavisan at $26/$7.25 for $12,468.75

$100 at $101 on Tavisan to win, $20 at $26 to place for $10,620

$5,028 at $2.10 on The Autumn Sun to win for $10,558.80

$200 at $51 on Outrageous to win for $10,200

$200 at $51 on Outrageous to win for $10,200

$100 at $101 on Tavisan to win for $10,100

CAULFIELD GUINEAS
$2 The Autumn Sun

$7.50 Leonardo Da Hinchi

$8.50 Native Soldier

$13 Tavisan

$15 Ranier, Oohood

$21+ Others Quoted

THOUSAND GUINEAS
$3.20 Smart Melody

$7 El Dorado Dreaming

$7.50 Thrillster

$8 Amphitrite

$10 Fiesta

$15 Krone

$18+ Others Quoted