Racing: Caulfield Cup hype all about Sphenophyta

SYDNEY - The hype over New Zealand galloper Sphenophyta is building as the Caulfield Cup nears.

Comparisons have been made with Even Stevens and Doriemus, Caulfield-Melbourne Cups winners in 1962 and 1995 respectively, after Sphenophyta's strong win in Saturday's Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, in Melbourne.

He is now a $4 ruling favourite for the A$2.5 million ($2.86 million) Caulfield Cup on October 21, with prominent bookmaker Michael Eskander saying he could start at $3.50 or shorter.

"In all of my time fielding on the cups doubles, Sky Heights and Mummify have been the two best-supported runners in the race and I think this horse will match them," Eskander told the Herald-Sun newspaper.

Both those horses won the Caulfield Cup.

However, Eskander isn't so sure that Sphenophyta will win this year, labelling the six-year-old Groom Dancer gelding a risk and saying the Turnbull Stakes form was flattering to him.

"The Turnbull was a must-win race for Sphenophyta, while others who have already qualified for the cup still weren't at their peak.

"He's vulnerable in the Caulfield Cup. I like his stablemates Our Smoking Joe and Serenade Rose ahead of him. And Grand Zulu is a horse getting under everyone's guard."

But another bookmaker, Simon Beasley, thinks Sphenophyta won't be beaten in the cup.

"How are those others in the Turnbull Stakes going to beat it?

"He gave them all a beating and meets them all on better weights. I really can't see how they are going to beat him. He shouldn't be any better than $3."

Lee Freedman, who took over the horse from Te Awamutu trainer Richard Otto two months ago, isn't worried that the lightly raced gelding had a stint in Queensland before arriving at his stable.

"I've always had in the back of mind that concern about him having had a winter campaign in Brisbane," he said.

"You worry there might be a sign the horse has had enough, but Sphenophyta seems fine.

"Then again, I have had three-year-olds race in the Queensland winter and go on to win the Victoria Derby," he said.

Freedman sent Sphenophyta to Safety Beach near Mornington yesterday morning and said he seemed bright.

"He hasn't left an oat. He's a great eater," he said. "He's not the most robust horse, but sometimes it's that type of horse who can handle what he's been asked to do.

"It's less than two weeks to the cup now and the signs are good. Since he arrived here [Freedman's stable], he's actually put on 12-14kg.

Freedman said it was too early to say whether Sphenophyta would push on to the Melbourne Cup, but that certainly seems the ultimate aim.

* Pentane and Kerry O'Reilly were notable omissions from the Caulfield Cup when third acceptances were taken yesterday.

However, the two New Zealand gallopers are still in the reckoning for the A$5.1 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 7.

Pentane's trainer Lance O'Sullivan had already signalled that his galloper would probably miss the Caulfield feature, as he gives the horse time to get over a skin rash complaint.

Kerry O'Reilly will fly to Melbourne on Tuesday for his tilt at the Melbourne Cup, with trainer Jim Gibbs deciding to bypass Caulfield after his grand run for second behind Legs in the Kelt Capital Stakes on Saturday. "I just felt it wasn't his race at the moment, after the hard Kelt," Gibbs said.

- NZPA