Where were the likely Derby aspirants a few weeks ago? The prospects were looking pretty slim, the cupboard was getting bare.

However, that all changed on Saturday at Caulfield when Polanski, and San Diego, vied for honours in the Norman Robinson Stakes, with the former receiving the nod by barely a whisker.

We still have the Mitchelton Wines Vase at Moonee Valley, on Saturday, where a likely Derby contender has been known to have emerged from.

Polanski was impressive at Caulfield, be it a slender win the colt, purchased for $4,000, is now on the verge of becoming a million dollar stake earner.

Trained by Robbie Laing, Polanski is a promising colt, he is doing all that could be asked of him, three wins from eight starts, with his present form suggesting he will get further.

That is the view of Laing and others, the colt is entitled to be favourite, his programme has been spaced two weeks between races that are not likely to alter now.

The colt was ridden for the first time on Saturday by Hugh Bowman, a master at riding stayers; he was impressed with the win.

“He is a beautiful big strong colt, I think he can improve on that, you haven’t seen the best of him yet, he is going to be a genuine Derby contender, I moved up to them easily, he idled for a while but when I gave him a kick he found plenty and there was still something left in the tank,” said Hugh Bowman.

He knows all about Derbies, he had already won a couple and is a big race rider with nerves of steel.

Polanski on the outside just shading San Diego

Boban staged a remarkable performance to win the Sportingbet Moonga Stakes, similar to his win in the Epsom Handicap a few weeks ago at Randwick.

When he crossed the hill at Caulfield it looked a case of goodnight nurse, we have done our dough.

He was two lengths away last, you rarely win races coming from that far behind, it was a super run and a super ride from Glyn Schofield.

Schofield never left the fence at any stage of the race, content to stay there and ride for luck, there was no other option.

Ironically the runs came at the top of the straight as if there was a touch of magic and Boban was there in a flash.

“All went to plan missing the start, that’s how he won the Epsom and we weren’t going to change things.”

“We were there where we wanted to be, from the gate, we had to snag him back and let him flop out to have any chance.”

“He’s learning to race now from a better barrier, I could have put him anywhere today, it was nice to see that with his big weight he really rattled home, his sectionals were strong like a couple of weeks ago,” said jockey Glyn Schofield.

Chris Waller thought he had pulled the wrong rein dropping Boban back to 1400 metres of the Moonga Stakes from the tough mile of the Epsom, he is right on track for the Emirates on the final day at Flemington over a mile, his pet distance.

Boban -  Simply an outstanding win.  
 

At declaration time for the Caulfield Cup earlier last week leviathan owner, Lloyd Williams, had six horses eligible to start in the race, five were European bred and one sole local.

One may wonder if it was the figures that added up in favour of selecting the local Fawkner, or was it a touch of sentiment as the gelding is by Reset, formerly raced by Williams, he retired the horse to stud unbeaten after five starts.

Irrespective of motive the boss of Macedon Lodge pulled the right rein again, as he has done so many times before, the final choice was Fawkner.

Fawkner was coming off a sound third in the Turnbull Stakes that has proved a fairly reliable guide when looking for a Caulfield Cup winner.

A strong early pace was set by Julienas up the far side of the track; jockeys were still trying to angle into good positions.

At that stage Fawkner was racing midfield; with nine or ten horses in front of him, he had settled down well and would be basically free of any likely interference that might occur.

He powered home in the straight winning by a length and quarter, it was hard to find any excuses for the beaten division.

Nick Hall has ridden the gelding in five of his last six starts, he understands the horse perfectly, that proved an important factor and a deserving win.

The favourite Hawkspur was the only runner to shorten in betting, coming in from $5.00 to start at $4.20, he came out of an awkward gate and was never a chance at any stage, he has been up since June that is a long time, his form may be beginning to taper off.

Jet Away, who had been travelling behind the winner, all of a sudden seemed to take charge of his rider, Damien Oliver, making a suicide run over on the outside that saw him clear of the field well before the home turn.

He hung on well under the circumstances as he had missed a vital run during his Cup preparation, which restricted him to only one pre run leading into the race, it was an outstanding performance finishing fourth.

From a Melbourne Cup point of view the run of Dandino was a cracker, he passed 13 horses in the straight and Flemington will suit him as he is a long striding horse.

The Oaks winner, Dear Demi, also turned in a nice run, she was another that came from a long way back in the field, headquarters won’t do her any harm either.

The crowd of 33,066 was down on the budget of 40,000; about all you can expect with the Cup run at 5.45pm, this did nothing to increase the crowd figure.

Millions saw the Cup on T V, while the gate receipts were well down on a perfect day, the lowest crowd since 1992 when Mannerism won the Caulfield Cup

Fawkner winning the Caulfield Cup.

Sydney filly, Guelph, led all the way to win the Thousand Guineas, thus completing a Guineas double for the Darley stable.

In contrast to her coming from behind to win the Flight Stakes at Randwick, she was first to begin in the Guineas and was never headed thereafter.

She is unlikely to attempt a Surround and start in the Cox Plate; most likely she will be spelled immediately with the Coolmore Classic and Doncaster Handicap the preferred options in the autumn.

Guelph was best to begin, Kerrin McEvoy allowed her to run along, she was in her comfort zone travelling at the head of affairs, clear of the Edward Manifold Stakes winner, Se Sauver and Gregers, in third place.

Guelph - A super filly

The only challenge to come was from the lightly raced May’s Dream, she came into the straight wide with a well timed sustained run.

In summary Guelph is in a class of her own, easily the best three year old in the land, there is no point trying to stretch her out to the 2500 metres of the Oaks; she has nothing further to prove.

While May’s Dream, a lightly framed filly, ran an encouraging race, whether she will front up in the Oaks is yet to be decided, she has only had the one preparation, it may be asking too much of her at this stage. 

Paul and Peter Snowdon with Kerrin McEvoy 

It’s A Dundeel galloped brilliantly between races at Caulfield on Wednesday, confirming that he has fully recovered from a hoof abscess that forced him to miss vital work and a race leading into the all important Cox Plate, on Saturday week.

He was as fresh as a daisy when he entered the mounting yard, ridden by James McDonald with full racing silks up, he worked a lap of the course, quickened up over the final 1000 metres.

The horse looks great, you would never know he had an interruption; he will have another gallop, with a companion, at breakfast with the stars on Tuesday morning at Moonee Valley.

He has missed a couple of gallops plus a vital race, the Caulfield Stakes, to what extent that has set him back may not be known until the result of the Cox Plate.

His trainer, Murray Baker, is philosophical about the interruption, there is no turning back now, he must press forward hoping to make up for lost time.

 It's A Dundeel