A look behind the Caulfield Guineas

CAULFIELD GUINEAS

1600m, $2 million, three-year-olds, set-weights

HISTORY

* First run in 1881 when won by Wheatear

* Group One from 1979

* Run at Flemington 1940-43

NOTABLE WINNERS

* Sweet Nell (1903), Heroic (1924), Ajax (1937), Tulloch (1957), Vain (1969), Sobar (1972), Luskin Star (1977), Manikato (1978), Soverign Red (1980), Grosvenor (1982), Mahogany (1993), Redoute’s Choice (1999), Lonhro (2001), Weekend Hussler (2007), All Too Hard (2012)

TALKING POINTS

* Catchy will be attempting to become the first filly to win the Classic since Surround in 1976

* Redoute’s Choice and Manikato are the only ones to have won the Blue Diamond-Guineas double. Catchy will be attempting to become the third

* Sircconi will become the 15th horse to win the VRC Sires’-Guineas double if successful. The last was All Too Hard in 2012

* Perast is aiming to be the fifth, and first since Helmet in 2011, to win the Guineas Prelude-Guineas double

WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:

“If our colts can be chiming into the race behind the right runners then we’ll give ourselves a chance””- James Cummings, trainer of Kementari and Sanctioned

“The mile is going to be her biggest test but I reckon she’s got a lot of class about her and she’s obviously won a Group One so I decided to go with her” – Catchy’s jockey Mark Zahra

“I’ve just tinkered with a bit of gear to try to get him to go a bit straighter” – Eclair Sunshine’s trainer Phillip Stokes

“I think he’s the fresh horse on the scene and for me he’s a really good talent” – Manny Gelagotis, racing manager for his brother Peter, Levendi’s trainer