Racing: Hawk Island to swoop on Caulfield Cup

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Chris Waller will make third-declaration payments for three stayers in the Caulfield Cup but he is leaning towards having only one runner, Metropolitan runner-up Hawk Island.

"At this stage, Hawk Island is the horse most likely to go to the Caulfield Cup," the trainer said yesterday.

Waller will also keep Hawk Island's Metropolitan conqueror The Verminator in the race, as well as Craven Plate winner My Kingdom Of Fife but he has other targets in Melbourne planned for both horses.

The Verminator, penalised 2kg in the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup for his decisive Metropolitan win on Saturday, will more than likely have his next run at weight-for-age in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.

He will now carry 52kg in both Cups.

"The penalty is about what I expected," Waller said. "It should get him into the Melbourne Cup field now."

Melbourne jockey Craig Newitt, who rode The Verminator to victory in the Metropolitan, will have first refusal on the Melbourne Cup ride.

Waller won't have a runner at Saturday's Caulfield Guineas Meeting but he is hoping to send at least five horses to Melbourne in what is shaping as the most potent Victorian spring carnival team he has assembled.

The premier Sydney trainer said he would keep Cox Plate-bound My Kingdom Of Fife in Sydney for as long as possible.

"I'll probably wait 10 days before I put him on the float," he said.

- AAP