Australian Racing: Cilacap can capture cup at Caulfield

There’s plenty of Group 1 action in Sydney on Saturday with four races, including The Star Doncaster Mile.

Race 8 Randwick

Gringotts @ 6.50

Race 9 Randwick

Willydoit @ 3.80

Race 8 Caulfield

Cilacap @ 6.50

Gringotts for Doncaster glory

The previously mentioned The Star Doncaster Mile, a $4,000,000 contest over 1600m, comes up as the eighth race on a 10-race card at Randwick.

A heavy 8 track is expected for the race, with Firestorm likely to have her supporters for the Chris Waller stable.

This four-year-old finished down the field in the TAB Epsom over this course and distance back in October but has shown up well in two starts this prep.

The first of those saw her taken out in the 1300m Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes held on a good 4 track at Rosehill in February.

This daughter of Satono Aladdin went on to lose out by a narrow margin in finishing runner-up in the 1500m Coolmore Classic at the same venue three weeks ago.

However, GRINGOTTS is preferred here for the Ciaron Maher team, with the gelding having registered wins in a number of valuable contests this season.

The first of those saw the five-year-old take out a 20-runner renewal of the Listed Big Dance over this course and distance in early November.

A success over the same distance in The Illawarra Mercury Gong, a Group 3 held at Kembla Grange, followed with the gelding spelled after a below-par effort back here in December.

The gelding broke through for his first top level success when getting home by a narrow margin in the 11-runner Group 1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill last time.

Gringotts was racing second up that day with regular rider Tommy Berry, on board for each of his last seven starts, taking the ride.

While Berry’s mount has yet to win on heavy going, he has won on a soft 7 in the past and is taken to complete a double.

Willydoit to claim Derby

The final Group 1 on the Randwick card is the ninth race of the day, the 2400m ATC Australian Derby.

Chris Waller’s Aeliana is expected to feature prominently in the betting, having registered three good efforts over shorter this prep.

Those efforts include a fourth-place finish in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas over 1600m here last month, while she backed that up with a close second in the 2000m Rosehill Guineas two weeks later.

This filly has plenty of Group 1 experience, having also placed in the 1600m Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in November and she rates highly stepping up in distance.

However, the New Zealand-raider WILLYDOIT is the selection here for the Shaun & Emma Clotworthy team.

The gelding has made six starts previously, with all bar a debut third at Te Aroha coming at Ellerslie.

This son of Tarzino’s sole defeat at Ellerslie saw him disappoint when jumping at $1.50 for the Group 2 Avondale Guineas over 2100m in February.

Gringotts finished 10th when beaten just over four-and-a-half-lengths that day, however, he made amends when stepping up to this distance last month.

That latest effort saw the selection come home nearly two-and-a-half-lengths clear of his nearest pursuer in the Group 1 Trackside NZ Derby held on a soft 5 track.

The heavy 8 surface isn’t expected to pose an issue here and, with his NZ Derby jockey Michael Dee up once more, he is taken to record his second Group 1 win.

Cilacap for Easter Cup success

In Melbourne they are set to race at Caulfield with the eighth race of the day, the Easter Cup over 2000m one of two Group 3 races on the card.

Grahame Begg’s in-form filly CILACAP takes the eye here, having registered wins in four of her five starts since debuting with a third at Seymour in November.

Those wins include two victories in 2025 with the first of those coming in the 1400m Listed Desirable Stakes held on a soft 7 track at Flemington in February.

While Cilacap was unable to complete a double when sixth in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes at the same venue subsequently, she returned to winning ways last time.

The daughter of Written Tycoon won by over two lengths in the 1600m Group 3 Alexandra Stakes at Moonee Valley last time out and she looks up to recording a win stepping up in distance.