It’s been 20 years since Steve King took his first ride in a Caulfield Cup and on Saturday, he will be searching for his second victory in 18 years since he won on Let’s Elope (Nassipour ex Sharon Jane by Battle-Waggon)  in 1991.
King will ride Street Cry’s son Predatory Pricer (ex Shady Stream, by Archregent) who has been installed as favourite for the Group I contest this Saturday.
King has been aboard the BMW Caulfield Cup favourite in only one other occasion in his 14 previous Caulfield Cup rides and that was last year on the Nigel Blackiston-trained Littorio (Bellotto ex Our Centasea, by Centaine), who finished fifth, beaten just over two lengths behind All The Good (Diesis ex Zarara by Manila).

King, an ice cool customer, has admitted there is no extra pressure that his mount Predatory Pricer is the big race favourite.
“I‟m pretty used to it now so I‟ve just got to go out there and focus on the result now,” he said.
King rode Predatory Pricer in his track gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning and said that the horse has the right credentials, adding the trainer Paul Murray was going to add a norton bit to his gear.
“His form has been outstanding.”
Predatory Pricer, a half-brother to Takeover Target, finished a close second to Efficient, beaten by a nose, in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington two weeks ago and he believes that entitles him to be favourite for Saturday’s race.
“I think so, I think his Turnbull run was great. His weight-for-age form is very good and dropping back to handicap conditions, he’s going to be very competitive,” King said.
“If things go right in the race and we get a bit of luck and you always need luck, I’m sure he’ll be very hard to beat,” he added.
When asked what barrier he would prefer, King said a barrier between five and ten would give him options as to whether he went forward or back in the race.
“I will put him where he is happy so he can be nice and relaxed and comfortable and just get him in his right gear and where that is in the run, I’m not sure yet.”
Despite King’s “wish list‟ for a barrier “that most jockeys are after”, a bad barrier seems to be no great obstacle for him in the Caulfield Cup. On the two occasions he has finished in the placings, winning on Let’s Elope in 1991 and second on Grey Song in 2003, his mounts jumped on both occasions from barrier 17.

MRC BMW CAULFIELD CUP - previous winners.
2008-09  All the Good (IRE)
2007-08  Master O’Reilly (NZ)
2006-07  Tawqeet (USA)
2005-06  Railings
2004-05  Elvstroem
2003-04  Mummify
2002-03  Northerly
2001-02  Ethereal (NZ)
2000-01  Diatribe
1999-00  Sky Heights (NZ)
1998-99  Taufan’s Melody (GB)
1997-98  Might and Power (NZ)
1996-97  Arctic Scent
1995-96  Doriemus (NZ)
1994-95  Paris Lane
1993-94  Fraar (USA)
1992-93  Mannerism
1991-92  Let’s Elope (NZ)
1990-91  Sydeston
1989-90  Cole Diesel
1988-89  Imposera (NZ)
1987-88  Lord Reims (NZ)
1986-87  Mr. Lomondy (NZ)
1985-86  Tristarc (NZ)
1984-85  Affinity (NZ)
1983-84  Hayai (NZ)

Tags: Caulfield Cup, Group I
Permalink| Oct 14, 2009

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