Racing
A Closer Look – Caulfield Guineas
Waller pair fighting out favouritism in an open Caulfield Guineas
We might not know until 4.30pm Saturday exactly which of Chris Waller's Caulfield Guineas colts starts favourite in the $3 million Group 1.
Wodeton and Autumn Boy were joint favourites before Tuesday morning's barrier draw, where Autumn Boy drew the inside and Wodeton gate 10, which will become eight if the two emergencies don't run.
Wodeton was initially posted favourite after the draw, but was replaced by Autumn Boy later in the day only for roles to be reversed again on Wednesday.
Whichever of the pair does start favourite will become the first horse in almost 25 years to run outright favourite in the Guineas having not won as a three-year-old.
Tagaloa, who ran third in the McNeil Stakes and sixth in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, was on the top line of betting when he ran last in the 2020 Guineas, but he was $4.20 equal favourite with eventual winner Ole Kirk.
You have to go back to Show A Heart for the most recent outright favourite who had not won earlier in the preparation.
That Queensland colt, who finished runner-up in the Ascot Vale Stakes and Guineas Prelude prior to the Guineas, ran $4 favourite in 2000, when second over the line.
He was later promoted to victory after Skalato was disqualified due to a positive swab.
Wodeton has not won since his debut, but this preparation the Wootton Bassett colt has run second placings in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) and Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) either side of a fourth placing in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m).
Autumn Boy resumed with a second placing in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) before finishing five spots behind Wodeton in the Golden Rose.
The Waller pair at least come through the race that has become the most prolific producer of Caulfield Guineas winners.
Seven of the past 11 came out of the Golden Rose, the past four of whom had their final lead-up in the Sydney feature now run three weeks before the Guineas.
Rivellino (sixth) and Nepotism (eighth) are the others in Saturday's race who contested the Golden Rose.
Ratings-wise, the Golden Rose produced the highest-rating performance of any of this generation with Beiwacht winning in 123 on the Racing And Sports rating scale, but four lengths away was Wodeton who ran to 113.
That's five pounds up on what West Of Swindon went to win the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m), while the highest-placed finisher from the Caulfield Guineas Prelude engaged on Saturday is runner-up Vega For Luck, who went 102 in that 1400m event.
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