Glencadam Gold has retained Caulfield Cup favouritism despite a poor barrier draw. Picture: Richard Dobson Source: The Daily Telegraph
GLENCADAM Gold's horror barrier draw didn't have any impact on champion jockey Jim Cassidy's trademark confidence ahead of the Group 1 $2.6 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained stayer will come out of barrier 17, with only last year's Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden drawn wider.
"To me, it is only a number," Cassidy said. "Barrier draws and the weather I've never worried about as I have no control over them.
"Glencadam Gold's plusses are he is trained by Gai - and will be ridden by me!"
Of more concern for Waterhouse was the handicap conditions for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, which she believes are skewed in favour of the top European stayers.
Glencadam Gold has won only one Group 1 race yet receives just 4.5kg from proven world class stayers like French champs Dunaden and Americain, who have won the past two Melbourne Cups.
"They have turned the Cups into quality handicaps by compressing the weights," she said. "Horses that should be carrying 60kg or more are getting in light.
"They seem too scared to give them 60kg-plus now, as though they are worried they are going to turn into toadstools or something.
"What is the matter with Australian racing? It is so ridiculous."
Cassidy, a two-time Caulfield Cup winner on Might And Power (1997) and Diatribe (2000), feels the wide draw may actually assist rather than hinder Glencadam Gold's chances.
"There always seems to be pace to the first corner in a Caulfield Cup and if you are drawn inside, there is always a chance you could get jammed up on the fence from those horses coming over from out wide," Cassidy said.
"From that barrier, I will be able to come over when I please. It is important around Caulfield to get as close to the rail as possible, especially before you get around the back of the course and go up the hill.
"I'll sit down with Gai before the weekend and work out our tactics, but I will have to have plan A, B and C."
The last horse to win a Caulfield Cup starting out of barrier 17 was champion mare Let's Elope in 1991.
But Peter Moody, trainer of Cup runners Voila Ici, Lights Of Heaven and Sneak A Peek, also feels the outside barriers for noted leaders like Voila Ici and Glencadam Gold are "not too much of a disadvantage".
"Voila Ici could have drawn a bit kinder but I'm mindful with these front-running horses that you don't want to draw too well because then you have to hunt them up to make sure the lesser-paced horses don't cross them early," Moody said.
"I don't think even Glencadam Gold's gate is a great detriment because there doesn't appear to be a lot of speed drawn under them that will hold them out regardless.
"Glencadam Gold brings a totally different form line to the race, Southern Speed is the forgotten horse, the past two Melbourne Cup winners (Americain, Dunaden) are there, December Draw was a hot favourite last year before he went amiss. Luck in running is going to play a mammoth part."
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