Talented colt Rich Enuff stamped himself as the clear favourite for the 2014 Caulfield Guineas with an outstanding performance in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield this afternoon.
Rich Enuff was far too good for his rivals in the 2014 Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield this afternoon. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Rich Enuff drew the outside barrier in the 2014 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and he was forced to do plenty of work in the early stages to take up a position just behind the leader Liberation.
Despite using plenty of petrol early, Rich Enuff showed an outstanding turn-of-foot to race away from his rivals when asked for an extra effort by Michael Rodd to score a most impressive win from Looks Like The Cat and Awesome Rock.
Rodd admitted that he asked Rich Enuff to do a fair amount of work in the early stages of the Caulfield Guineas Prelude, but could not have been happier with the way that Written Tycoon colt finished off the 1400 metre event.
“That was breathtaking,” Rodd said.
“He began brilliant, but we had lot of horses kicking up underneath us and I had to do a fair bit of work to get there.
“What I really like is that he completely switched off and he was happy with Tommy leading the way.
“He did not touch the bridle at all, so it is great going forward to the Guineas.
“Straitening up he just quickened and he finds four of five lengths very quickly and holds them.”
Trainer Ken Keys has knocked back a number of million dollar offers for Rich Enuff, who was bred by his wife, and the Cranbourne-based trainer was lost for words trying to explain the outstanding performance of his star galloper in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
Keys confirmed that Rich Enuff would head to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11 and he admitted that he would struggle to keep a lid on his excitement levels heading into the Group 1 event.
“It is bloody scary, I really don’t know what to say,” Keys said.
“What you saw is real and I think that he is still not there as a racehorse, he is still a big baby.
“Even though it was quiet close last start, we felt that we got to the front too quick.
“Michael was much more aware of the horse today and we are pretty happy.
“You wouldn’t believe how tough we did it early, my wife and the family did the tough yards, and it is just the culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people.”
Looks Like The Cat and Awesome Rock both worked home strongly in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude to round out the placings, but will likely need to improve to be any chance of beating Rich Enuff in the Caulfield Guineas.
