The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained three year old Hualalai will crank up his Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas preparation when he arrives in Melbourne this week.
Hualalai, above, is ready to head to Melbourne to prepare for the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Waterhouse gave a glowing review of the Street Cry colt who has won two of his five race stats, including a last start victory at the end of his juvenile year in a 1400m 2yo Handicap at Rosehill on July 1.
“He is the most magnificent son of Street Cry, he is owned by Spendthrift Farm, he is big and strong and everyone will know when he is here,” Waterhouse told racing.com.
“He is a very masculine horse, he has won two of his five starts and is a really lovely colt.”
Ladbrokes.com.au has Hualalai listed as a $26 chance in early betting for the Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) which will be run at Caulfield on October 14.
Tony McEvoy’s unbeaten colt Royal Symphony is the $6 pre-post favourite for the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas ahead of the Blue Diamond Stakes winner Catchy at $11 and Esperance, Invader and Kementari all at $13.
Royal Symphony earned favouritism for the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas when he remained undefeated from three starts with a four and a quarter lengths win in the Listed $120,000 Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 8 which impressed McEvoy and winning jockey Dwayne Dunn.
“When he clicks into gear it’s ‘hold on to your hat’,’’ McEvoy said after the win.
“That’s what we’ve thought of him and now that we’ve seen it twice in a row putting him away for the spring is the right thing to do.”
“He’s got such a glass-half-full attitude, this horse, he’s so positive in the stable. I think it will be very easy to keep him sweet and interested. We’ll keep him happy and you will see him sometime in late August.’’
Early market order for the 2017 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 Royal Symphony, $11 Catchy, $13 Esperance, Invader, Kementari, $17 Pariah, $21 Dracarys, Merchant Navy, Souffrant, $26 Animalia, Cliff’s Edge, Hualalai, Qiji Phoenix, Siege Of Quebec, Summer Passage, Taking Aim, Trekking, Tulip, $34 or better the rest.
