A great front running ride from jockey Johnny Allen saw Adelaide Ace lead all of the way to win the Group 2 $200,000 Heritage Finance Caulfield Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield today.

Adelaide Ace, above, scored an all the way win in the Caulfield Autumn Classic at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Adelaide Ace, above, scored an all the way win in the Caulfield Autumn Classic at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Adelaide Ace went straight to the front in the nine horse Autumn Classic field and the heavily backed $2.50 favourite was never headed after that.

Allen rated the three year old perfectly in front and still had plenty to offer in the straight when challenged by the Grahame Begg trained Nonconformist ($5.50) who tried hard but was unable to match it with the winner over the concluding stages.

Third placegetter Legion Of Merit ($21) was a further three lengths back while the $3.60 second favourite Miami Bound failed to sprint with the rest of the field at the 300m and could only beat one runner home to finish eighth.

Adelaide Ace was having his third run back from a spell and winning training Lindsey Smith left the riding tactics up to Allen but wasn’t surprised to see him dictating from the front.

“I left it up to John, but we thought that if they were going slow, leading was his go because he can’t rally sprint,” Smith said.

“The second horse was quite determined to pick him up and he drifted out up the straight but the margin was too great.”

Adelaide Ace has now firmed in from $51 to $26 dollars the Group 1 $2m Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on the first Day of The Championships April 4.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.