OWNER Lloyd Williams yesterday paid up for nine of his stayers to remain in the hunt for the Caulfield Cup, but two of his best chances, At First Sight and Green Moon, may struggle to make the field, reports The Age (www.theage.com.au). It says: Williams had 11.25 per cent of the Caulfield Cup hopefuls after its numbers were reduced yesterday, from 115 at last month's first declarations stage to 80, but At First Sight (equal 28th in order of entry) and Green Moon (equal 47th), who both turned in

OWNER Lloyd Williams yesterday paid up for nine of his stayers to remain in the hunt for the Caulfield Cup, but two of his best chances, At First Sight and Green Moon, may struggle to make the field, reports The Age (www.theage.com.au).

It says: Williams had 11.25 per cent of the Caulfield Cup hopefuls after its numbers were reduced yesterday, from 115 at last month's first declarations stage to 80, but At First Sight (equal 28th in order of entry) and Green Moon (equal 47th), who both turned in super cup trials last week, may need to win one of the four remaining ballot-exempt races to make the 18-horse line-up.

At First Sight, a runner-up in the Epsom Derby last year, firmed to $10 third favourite for the cup after his effort to finish second behind Caulfield Cup favourite December Draw in the Naturalism Stakes on Saturday. Just two days earlier, Green Moon, who was also imported from Europe, caught the eye of bookmakers, who wound him into $21 after his front-running performance to win the Newcastle Cup. Another imported stablemate, Midas Touch, is the fourth favourite at $11 after his Underwood Stakes placing at the weekend.

There was very little movement at the top of the Caulfield Cup elimination list after second declarations, with just the retired Littorio and out-of-form mares Brazilian Pulse and Once Were Wild missing from the initial top-25 qualified horses.

The connections of star New Zealand mare Scarlett Lady confirmed their intention of targeting the Caulfield and Melbourne cups double, by taking out the distraction of a possible Cox Plate tilt. The four-year-old mare was not among the 59 second declarations for the $3 million race at Moonee Valley, which boasted six three-year-olds, including the highly ranked pair of Smart Missile and Helmet, who both run at Caulfield in the Guineas Prelude this Saturday.