Last Saturday’s Naturalism Stakes winner Brimham Rocks has escaped a weight penalty for the Group 1 $5.15m Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19.
Brimham Rocks, above, has escaped a weight penalty for the 2019 Caulfield Cup at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Brimham Rock is now exempt from the ballot for his win at Caulfield in the Naturalism Stakes, which is now officially known as the Group 3 $160,000 East Malvern Bendigo Bank MRC Foundation Cup (2000m).
The Chris Waller trained Brimham Rocks’ Caulfield Cup weight remains at 52kg but the six year old is still at the double figure odds of $31 at Ladbrokes.com.au while his weight for the Group 1 $8m Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 is untouched at 51.5kg.
Brimham Rocks’ win in the Naturalism Stakes didn’t go unnoticed by the Racing New South Wales handicapper who gave the English import’s a 2kg penalty for the Group 1 $750,000 Heineken 3 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 5 and he will now carry 52.5kg.
Last Saturday’s win was Brimham Rock first win on Australian Soil since having his first start for Waller for a second at Mornington in Mach, 2018, but he was runner up in the 2018 The Metropolitan.
Stable representative Jo Taylor said the team was happy to see Brimham Rock back to his best form after a long run of outs which included two unplaced runs prior to the Naturalism Stakes with a tenth in the Listed $150,000 Rowley Mile (1600m) at Hawkesbury on August 22 followed by a ninth to Samadoubt in the Group 2 $250,000 Bob Ingham Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 7.
“He’s certainly earned it but I’m sure Chris is really happy just to see this horse return to form,” Taylor said.
“He was certainly convincing.”
“He’s a horse that I think has a lot of upside to him and whether Chris wants to give him another run (before the Caulfield Cup), I don’t know if it’s completely necessary, but the options are there if Chris wants to.
“I think on what we saw today (Saturday), he’s fit and well and we know the trip isn’t an issue for him.”
Brimham Rocks is now the winner of five of his twenty-seven race starts with $623,569 in the bank.
Early betting for the 2019 Caulfield Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $8 Mr Quickie, $15 Mer De Glace, $16 Finche, $17 Mustajeer, $19 Rostropovich, $21 Avilius, Kenedna, $26 Constantinople, Danceteria, Raheen House, Verry Elleegant, Yucatan, $31 Brimham Rocks, Kings Will Dream, Mirage Dancer, Raymond Tusk, Youngstar, $34 or better the rest.
