Following Tuesday’s announcement of first acceptances, Racing Victoria’s (RV) Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, has today released the initial Order of Entry for the $3 million Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m) to be run on 18 October at Caulfield.


Star Hong Kong galloper Dan Excel, who has been allocated 57kg in the race, sits atop the order of entry, having secured a ballot exemption with his win in May’s Group 1 Singapore International Airlines Cup (2000m).

Click here to view the full Order of Entry for the 2014 Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup.

Talented Kiwi mare Silent Achiever, a winner of the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) earlier this year, is second in the Order of Entry ahead of leading Japanese entrant Admire Rakti (third) and the Lloyd Williams-owned defending champion Fawkner (fourth).

As part of new conditions introduced this year by the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC), horses will be ranked in order of their handicap below the race’s ‘benchmark weight’ and then in order of their peak international rating achieved in any Group or Listed race run since October 18th, 2013. 

The trio filling positions are all 3kg below the Cup’s ‘benchmark weight’, but Silent Achiever has the highest international rating of 121 so she secures a start before Admire Rakti (rated 117) and Fawkner (rated 114).

The ‘benchmark weight’ is used by the handicapper for the purposes of determining positions in the Order of Entry. The Caulfield Cup benchmarks for male gallopers are 5yo+ 59kg, 4yo 57.5kg, 3yo 49.5kg, whilst for females it is 5yo+ 57.5kg, 4yo 56kg, 3yo 48kg. Northern Hemisphere-bred 4yos are permitted a 1.5kg allowance. 

The second of the Japanese entrants Bande is all but assured a start ranked 14th, as are fellow internationally-trained stayers Red Cadeaux (fifth), 2013 runner-up Dandino (eighth) and Ambivalent (equal 15th).

If the race was run tomorrow, current TAB favourite Lucia Valentina ($11) and third elect Rising Romance ($13) would gain a start, with the pair sharing 15th position on the Order of Entry.

Notably, the winner of the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington tomorrow will gain a coveted ballot exemption and be assured a start alongside Dan Excel. Sertorius (26th) and Spillway (40th), a $13 Cup chance with TAB, are among those looking to leapfrog into the starting line up of 18.

Tomorrow’s Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill also provides the likes of Mr O’Ceirin (equal 36th), the highly fancied La Amistad (equal 44th) and Greatwood (equal 76th) an opportunity to climb the elimination order.

Similarly, tomorrow’s Group 3 Metric Mile (1600m) at Awapanui in New Zealand provides Sangster (89th) with a chance to pass the ballot with a top three finish and rise more than 40 places. Also contesting the race is New Zealand Derby winner Puccini who is equal 15th in the Order of Entry. 

Click here to view the full Order of Entry for the 2014 Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup. (Racing Victoria release)