Caulfield Guineas

The Caulfield Guineas is a classic Group 1 race for three-year-olds held annually at Caulfield racecourse during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in October. The race is run over a distance of 1600 metres under set weight conditions and worth $1,000,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Caulfield Guineas was won by Helmet from Manawanui with Huegill third.

Caulfield Guineas day is held on a Saturday and kicks off the big three day Caulfield spring racing carnival in style with two more group one races on the card, including the Yalumba Stakes and the Toorak Handicap.

The Caulfield carnival runs over consecutive Saturdays, with the second day being held midweek the next Wednesday the Gr1 Thousand Guineas for fillies the highlight, and the following Saturday sees the main feature race of the Caulfield carnival take centre stage, the time honoured Gr1 Caulfield Cup.

Caulfield Guineas info
Date:	Saturday 13th October 2012
Track:	Caulfield racecourse, Brisbane
Distance:	1600 metres
Race Type:	3yo Open - Set Weights + Penalty
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$1,000,000
2011 Winner:	Helmet

The Caulfield Guineas is the Melbourne Racing Club's premier event for three-year-olds and was first run in 1881. This Caulfield Guineas has earned a great reputation over the years and is one of the classic races of the spring racing carnival for 3yo gallopers.

Attracting the best colts & geldings available, and more than capable fillies, the Caulfield Guineas is generally won by a top class three-year-old who often goes on to bigger and better things in seasons to come.

The race itself has proven a wonderful guide to stars of the future and quality gallopers such as Starspangledbanner (2009), Weekend Hussler (2007), Lonhro (2001), Redoute's Choice (1999) and Mahogany (1993) have all won this event. The last filly to win the Caulfield Guineas was the brilliant Surround in 1976.

It's not a race that leads to Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup winners very often. Caulfield Guineas winners seem to perform best in the WS Cox Plate where they receive a very good weight advantage over older horses.

Helmet (2011) won the Gr3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on his way to winning this event and recent Caulfield Guineas winners include Anacheeva (2010) and Starspangledbanner (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
Manawanui (2nd in 2011) won the Gr2 AAMI Vase at Moonee Valley at his next start after finishing second in this event.

Starspangledbanner (2009) went on to win the Gr1 Oakleigh Plate and then ran third in the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap the following autumn before venturing overseas and enjoying Gr1 success on the world stage.

Manhattan Rain (3rd in 2009) was runner-up in the 2009 Cox Plate as a three-year-old after a third placing in this race, while So You Think (5th in 2009) went on to score a memorable win in the 2009 Cox Plate under the Bart Cumming's polish.

Whobegotyou (2008) won the AAMI Vase at Moonee Valley later in the spring before finishing runner-up in the Gr1 Victoria Derby at Flemington. Whobegotyou also went on to win the Gr2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (2009-10) and Gr1 Yalumba Stakes (2009)

Weekend Hussler (2007) won the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (formerly Ascot Vale Stakes) during Melbourne Cup week and won a number of quality Group 1 races as a three-year-old.

2011 Caulfield Guineas result
1 $2.20 Helmet 56.5 K McEvoy
2 $6.00 Manawanui 56.5 G Schofield
3 $31.00 Huegill 56.5 L Nolen

then followed
4 $31.00 Specter 56.5 N Hall
5 $3.60 Smart Missile 56.5 C Brown
6 $41.00 Secret Hills 56.5 C Newitt
7 $11.00 Chase The Rainbow 56.5 D Yendall
8 $301.00 General Offer 56.5 D Nikolic

Margins: 1/2 neck, 3 3/4 len
Time: 1:35.36

Caulfield Guineas recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Helmet	Manawanui	Huegill	1:35.3
2010	Anacheeva	Run For Levi	Masquerader	1:37.0
2009	Starspangledbanner	Carrara	Manhattan Rain	1:35.6
2008	Whobegotyou	Time Thief	Von Costa De Hero	1:36.4
2007	Weekend Hussler	Scenic Blast	Marching	1.36.4
2006	Wonderful World	Excites	Court Command	1.35.9
2005	Gods Own	Paratroopers	Primus	1.37.6
2004	Econsul	Barely A Moment	Under Command	1.38.0
2003	In Top Swing	Face Value	Kempinsky	1.36.0
2002	Helenus	Bel Esprit	Choisir	1.35.4
2001	Lonhro	Ustinov	Pure Theatre	1.36.7
2000	Show A Heart	Fubu	Sale Of Century	1.35.8
1999	Redoutes Choice	Testa Rossa	Commands	1.35.8
1998	Kenwood Melody	Lauries Lottery	Spectacular Gold	1.38.0
1997	Encounter	Schubert	General Nediym	1.36.2
1996	Alfa	Intergaze	Encosta De Lago	1.35.9
1995	Our Maizcay	Ravarda	Octagonal	1.36.7
1994	St Covet	Marwina	Blevic	1.35.6
1993	Mahogany	Port Watch	Lets Cut Loose	1.36.3
1992	Palace Reign	Palace Symphony	Shoeshine Henry	1.45.4
1991	Chortle	Naturalism	Ready To Explode	1.36.7
1990	Centro	Integra	Chime Zam	1.38.3
1989	Procol Harum	Zamoff	Prince Salieri	1.37.8
1988	Vitalic	Almurtajaz	Kings High	1.36.8
1987	Marwong	Our Poetic Prince	Kaapstad	1.36.1
1986	Abaridy	Tristram	Broad Reach	1.36.4
1985	Drawn	Shankhill Lass	Acumen	1.36.5
1984	Red Anchor	Lord Of Camelot	Spirit Of Kingston	1.37.0
1983	Beechcraft	Sir Dapper	Handsome Seattle	1.36.5
1982	Grosvenor	Veloso	Cossack Prince	1.37.9
1981	Binbinga	Lead Role	Rose Of Kingston	1.36.5
1980	Sovereign Red	Joy	Summer Devant	1.38.2
1979	Runaway Kid	Bold Diplomat	Kingston Town	1.40.8
1978	Manikato	Karaman	Hauberk	1.36.6
1977	Luskin Star	Princess Talaria	Guns Away	1.37.8
1976	Surround	Family Of Man	Great Lover	1.41.1