Hauraki is on top of the 2015 Caulfield Cup tips of trainer John O’Shea and he is hopeful that the Australian Derby placegetter can turn-the-tables on Mongolian Khan in the Group 1 event this weekend.
Trainer John O’Shea believes that Hauraki can return to winning form in the 2015 Caulfield Cup. Photo by: Steve Hart
Hauraki has only ever had one race start over 2400 metres and he finished a close second behind Mongolian Khan in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 6, but O’Shea told Racing Ahead that his stayer is set to produce a better effort on a dry surface in the 2015 Caulfield Cup.
“It will suit him better tomorrow on top of the ground,” O’Shea said.
“In the Derby it was very wet, he was drawn on the inside and sort of got dictated too a little bit, but tomorrow we are draw on the outside and will have the opportunity to possibly follow Mongolian Khan.
“He will be much more effective on top of the ground.”
Hauraki has only recorded one race win in his last eight starts, when he took out the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28, but O’Shea believes that the son of Reset was unlucky not to beat stablemate Complacent in the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on October 3 and he will now be at peak fitness for the Caulfield Cup.
“It was a combination of a couple of things there,” O’Shea said.
“The worst thing that you can do with Complacent is get into a dogfight with him and Joao probably just got there a tad quick.
“He was only third-up and he had a couple of burn arounds on wet tracks where he wasn’t really competitive and it probably just told on him late there, but it was a nice day out and he had a good gallop.
“The reduction of weight tomorrow should help him.
“He is a clean-winded little horse and he is ready to run a race.”
O’Shea has not had a runner in the Caulfield Cup since Shot Of Thunder finished 12th behind Ethereal in the 2001 edition of the race and he is chasing his first Group 1 win in Melbourne since Sea Siren took out the 2012 Manikato Stakes.
Hauraki is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Cup odds of $9.50 with Ladbrokes and along with Snow Sky he is on the second line of betting behind Mongolian Khan ($4.80).
Don’t miss out on the best Caulfield Cup odds that are on offer with Ladbrokes, who are offering Best Tote or Starting Price +20% on every single race at Caulfield tomorrow.
