2010 Spring Racing Carnival

Caulfield Guineas

• Type: Group 1 set weight race
• Distance: 1600 metres
• Age: 3 year olds
• Racecourse: Caulfield, Melbourne
• 1st Place Prize Money: $600,000 plus trophies
• Set Weights: Colts & Geldings 55.5kg, Fillies 53.5 kg

A race full of allure and excitement, the Caulfield Guineas is best described as the frontline for competition between fillies and colts with majority of previous winners being colts or geldings. Sponsored by The Age newspaper, the Caulfield Guineas marks the beginning of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and is held three weeks prior to the AAMI Victoria Derby Day. The race was first run in 1881 and was won by Wheatear however it wasn’t until 1924 that the race’s history became of significance when Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee Heroic took advantage of the great speed he possessed and won the race despite being known to waste his talent due to frequent tantrums. Heroic also went on to sire Ajax, another Caulfield Guineas winner.

1945 gave the race its first dead-heat when Attley and Royal Gem crossed the finish line together and managed a new race record time. In 1957 racing marvel Tulloch won the race, adding to his 36 out of 53 wins. Excellent sprinters are hard to find and in 1970, spectators were taken back by the speed possessed by Dual Choice who won by an astounding 3 lengths. The longest Group 1 winner in Australia, Abaridy stunned punters and left some happy punters with stuffed wallets in 1986 when as the outsider, managed to win despite odds of 250-1.

Our Maizcay was an Australian bred, New Zealand based racehorse who became a racing star after winning the 1995 Caulfield Guineas by 3 lengths in spite of the crowd believing he couldn’t handle the length. 1997 marks the race’s smallest field with only 5 starters and in 2000 the race was hit with controversy when race winner Skalato returned a positive swab, forcing the winner to step down and the title was handed over to Show a Heart.

The race is now regarded as an important bearing on the VRC Derby, with majority of colts entering in both races, allowing punters to see their true form and performance. Furthermore, many Caulfield Guineas winners have gone on to place well in the W.S Cox Plate.

Caulfield Guineas Winners