Caduceus Classic should be a cracker

After the Group One Woodlands Stud Caduceus Club Two Year Old Fillies Classic on Friday night (Sep. 23) at Alexandra Park, the judge will call the numbers and the pecking order of this year’s marvellous crop of juvenile harness racing fillies will be revealed. 

The race is dominated by the All Stars, Telfer and Purdon-Phelan barns which between them provide seven of the eight starters. 

Of his three runners, with a draw of two, Steve Telfer is favouring Kahlua Flybye (Bettor’s Delight).

“She’s a lovely filly who’s done everything that’s been asked of her. She’s got gate speed to put herself in the right spot. She had a nice quiet trial at Puke last week to fit her out for this. We’re very happy with her and from that draw she should be handy throughout,” Telfer said.

Their second runner Sweet Diamond (Sweet Lou) has a wider draw to content with.

“She quite a big filly and she’s getting better and better each run. She has got a bit of gate speed as well and led in her last race. I imagine she’ll go front at the start and run another good race.” 

Making up the Steve and Amanda trio is the well bred Forever Me (Sweet Lou – Adore Me). She too draws wide.

“She’s a really tough filly and the 2200 metres will really suit her. She hasn’t got blazing gate speed, so the seven draw isn’t a huge handicap. I would imagine Ben (Butcher) will put her in the race at some stage and make it an honest run race.” 

Rolleston trainer Mark Purdon has had a stranglehold on this group feature, winning the last eight Classics. 

Purdon and training partner Hayden Cullen will start the likely favourite Millwood Nike (Captaintreacherous) who’s unbeaten in her three race day starts.

“Her two trial runs were nice, and we looked after her. But when we raced her, she lifted like a pretty nice horse. On the back of last week and the way she handled the right handed way of going she’ll take a lot of beating this week. The one to beat is inside her (Kahlua Flybye). It’s not a full field so she’s not going to be far off the leaders,” Purdon who will drive her, said.

His other runner is Luvstruck (Art Major – Linda Lovegrace) which will be handled by Natalie Rasmussen.

“She went into last weeks race needing the run. Natalie did all the work down the back, and I didn’t make my run until the 300. That quarter down the back was 27 so it took its toll. She (Luvstruck) is a very nice filly well and I’m sure she’ll benefit for that run last week.”

The dam of Luvstruck, Linda Lovegrace won this event in 2014. 

Interestingly, the dams of tonight’s starters have collectively won 76 races and $2,739,978 in stakes – led by champion mare Adore Me which won 26 races and $1,677,032.

So the residual value of these fillies as potential broodmares is immense.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink