The running of the 2025 Caulfield Cup awaits us on Saturday with 18 runners competing for GROUP 1 supremacy over 2400m. Half Yours is the current $2.70 favourite with most bookmakers and surely he drifts on the day for a more respectable price for punters. The Tony & Kelvin McKevoy runner has drawn well in 2 and he has already won a half a dozen races in his short career of 13 starts. The main race starts at 5:15pm (AEDT) and is race nine on the program. With Dry and warm weather around Melbourne in the lead up the track will remain Good.
Brendan Bunworth brings you his best bets and Quaddie selections for the stacked card at Caulfield below, and if you want to join in on the fun and back in our tips, consider making an account with Dabble!
Caulfield Racing Tips: Saturday, October 18th 2025
Race 1: Lamaro’s Hotel Plate - 12:15pm (AEDT)
(6) Wise Inlaw has early toe and from barrier 8 Luke Nolen might position him outside of the leader which will likely be the favourite Bacash. He led at Flemington last start and finished 3rd behind talented Vinrock and he has trialled up nicely since in a trial where runners have since won.
(5) Bacash is the likely leader here and Mark Zahra stays on for the second time which helps. He has led in his last three races and is one of the fittest horses in the race.
(3) Icarian Dream is down in class but I would prefer her on a Soft track. He was only 1.5L off them (6th) in the Group 3 Champagne and she will be running on.
(6) Wise Inlaw WIN
$7.00 (1 unit)
Race 2: Sportsbet Classic Group 3 2000m - 12:50pm (AEDT)
(5) Engine Of War has drawn the inside here and may position 3rd or 4th the rails in this one and get a nice run. Will likely need some luck down the home straight to get out but they have the right man on with Zahra. Over 1800m at Flemington last start he hit the line well and the extra 200m looks ideal.
(2) Miewa likes Dry ground but may get too far back in this race and if the pace up front is slow it will make it hard for him. Unplaced at his only run at Caulfield.
(1) Options got up by a nose last start and draws wide again (8) but a wide barrier (9) was of no issues last start. Another who will likely get back.
(5) Engine Of War WIN
$4.50 (2 units)
Race 3: Schweppes Ethereal Stakes Group 3 2000m - 1:25pm (AEDT)
(3) Just A Journey likes Dry ground and might run a quick time on this track. She will go forward for Blake Shinn and she does rise 400m in distance which is the query. The Freedman stable are confident in her ability and the consistent filly should be finishing top 2 again.
(6) Just Kick will be back in the pack but will be one of the best finishers. She got too far back at Flemington last start and Yendall might try to settle him midfield in this one.
(2) Yum is very fit and is proven at Caulfield. Was poor last start and and has drawn wide in 11. Needs a lot of luck to win.
(3) Just A Journey WIN
$2.50 (3 units)
Race 4: Stow Storage Gothic Stakes 1200m - 2pm (AEDT)
(2) Tentyris is fit now and will appreciate another Good track after running well over 1100m at Flemington last start (3rd). The extra 100m suits and he should be able to position up nicely from the draw (6). The colt is 1 from 1 when second up and Zahra knows him well. He is very consistent and the jockey rides well for the stable.
(6) Ripley won after box seating at Rosehill last start and he was well backed on that occasion. First try at Caulfield but has won over the 1200m previously.
(1) McGaw has to carry an extra 1.5kg in this race after winning at Flemington when getting away with cheap sectionals last start. There will be more pressure in this race and he will need to be very strong to win.
(2) Tentyris WIN
$2.80 (3 units)
Race 5: Manhari Alinghi Stakes 1100m - 2:35pm (AEDT)
(5) New York Lustre looks over the odds here at $11.00. She was pretty good last start in the Group 3 Concorde at Randwick and was only 2L behind the winner. She is back racing against the girls here and from barrier 9 Carleen Hefel will look to position her up midfield on the outside. Has placed at this track and the Dry ground will suit.
(12) Akaysha ran home very fast last start when 2nd at Rosehill and from barrier 1 should settle a little closer. If she gets out in the straight she goes very close.
(6) Soft Love loves Dry ground and is first up. Does get a long way back though and will want a fast run race.
(5) New York Lustre Each-Way
$11/$3.30 (0.50 units)
Race 6: Herald Sun Sprint Group 2 1000m - 3:10pm (AEDT)
(7) Zealously is unbeaten on Good tracks and Melbourne Cup winning jockey Robbie Dolan has come over to ride for Peter Snowden. He led at Warwick Farm over the 1000m last start and was too good when favourite and he has the early zip to lead again from barrier 6. He has never missed a top 3 finish over 1000m.
(2) Nadal was scratched last week in preference for this race. He goes well first up but he might be better in a couple of weeks over the 1100m and 1200m distances.
(5) Pisanello has won 5 from 8 on Good tracks but this is one of the hardest races he has been in. If he gets out to double figures he might be worth an each-way ticket.
Saturday Super Dabble!
Caulfield R6 – Zealously To Win or Finish 2nd – $2.50 at Dabble (Max Bet $25)
(7) Zealously WIN
$2.50 (4 units)
Race 7: Schweppes Thousand Guineas GROUP 1 1600m - 3:45pm (AEDT)
(1) Apocalyptic will settle on pace in this race and she has won 3 from 4 career starts, all in which have been on Dry ground. She won the Group 2 Tea Rose two starts back and won again in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick which was over this distance. Zahra hops on for Tommy Berry who remains in Sydney.
(3) Ole Dancer for Moody&Coleman will be worse of midfield in the run you would think and has to make up about 4 to 6L to beat the favourite (Apocalyptic). Has won at Caulfield before though and if they go hard early he could pull off a minor upset.
(6) Salty Pearl has never missed a top 3 finish on Dry ground. She is 20-1 at present and represents value. Has won at Caulfield and was on Ole Dancer’s heels last start and he is a quarter of her odds.
(1) Apocalyptic WIN
$1.95 (4 units)
Race 8: Sportsbet Moonga Stakes Group 3 1400m - 4:30pm (AEDT)
(2) Private Eye is the classiest horse in the race and a winner of more than $12 million in prize. On August 16 he went for a run at this track and led all of the way when a $3 favourite. Similar tactics may be applied here and Nash Rawiller will have to steer him over from barrier 9 without using too much energy early. A couple of rivals will push up on his inside and try to keep him honest early but the 8 year old is very strong and will be sent around as favourite again.
(11) Warnie I tipped last start and he was very unlucky when making a strong run on the inside at Flemington over 1400m. He faces tougher opposition here but has drawn well in 2.
(10) Here To Shock should get a nice run from barrier 1 in around 4th position in the rails and he does love this track. He has won on 9 occasions over this distance and he goes well for Dan Stackhouse.
(2) Private Eye WIN
$2.50 (3 units)
Race 9: Sportsbet Caulfield Cup GROUP 1 2400m - 5:15pm (AEDT)
(3) Middle Earth has drawn well in barrier 3 and the Cairon Maher trained gelding has been going well despite his form looking poor. Two starts back in the Underwood Stakes he was beaten 5L to SIr Delius (10th) and he really didn’t have much luck on that occasion. Last start he got a long way back in the Turnbull Stakes after missing the start a little and ran on quite well for 9th. The Caulfield and Melbourne Cups have always been the goal and a Dry track helps. He has won 4 from 11 starts on Good tracks and Mark Zahra knows him well. His last win was over 2000m at Flemington during the Autumn Carnival (Aus Cup Prelude) Over the odds.
(12) Revelare was poor on sight last time (7th) but that saved him getting a penalty for this race. He only has to carry 53.5kg in this race and the Rob Hickmott gelding has won 6 from 8 races on Dry ground. He has to go to another level here but he was winning well two months ago at 60 percent fitness.
(6) Land Legend is more suited in the Melbourne Cup but can run on well at the end in the Caulfield Cup. He is another who needs Dry ground but barrier 15 is a tricky draw and he will have to pass most of the runners to win. Despite not having won a race for more than a year, this distance doesn’t worry him.
(3) Middle Earth Each-Way
$15/$3.80 (1 unit)
Race 10: Sharp EIT Solutions Tristarc Stakes Group 2 1400m - 5:50pm (AEDT)
(1) Miraval Rose has drawn the rails in the last and may position up on the leaders back in this I reckon. There isn’t a lot of pace in the race and if she gets the late split she can win. Led and scored in the Group 2 Blazer at Flemington last start and she races well for Jordan Childs who is on top. Grahame Begg (trainer) has had 3 winners in his past 10 starters and is in form.
(5) Abounding had no luck at The Valley last start when 2nd behind Splash Back he is 100 percent fit now. He has only won once from 8 starts over the 1400m and he hasn’t won for 10 months. Has placed in his last 4 starts and should Place again.
(10) Tulleries should get a gun run from barrier 4 and she has plugged away well her latest couple in races where the leader has kicked clear and saluted.
(1) Miraval Rose WIN
$4.20 (2 units)
Quaddie Tips
Leg one: 1, 3
Leg two: 2, 10, 11
Leg three: 3, 6, 12, 16
Leg four: 1, 5
