KEY POINTS:
Just two New Zealand-trained horses have won the Caulfield Cup in the past 20 years, but Auckland trainer Richard Yuill believes the drought can be broken today.
Ethereal in 2001 was the last raider to cross the Tasman and win the 2400m cup while it's 20 years since the previous Kiwi winner, Lord Reims.
Yuill's consistent stayer Mandela, along with Princess Coup and Railings, who won the 2005 Caulfield Cup when trained in Sydney by John Hawkes, all flew over this week to chase the huge prize money.
Yuill was happy to fly under the radar, since arriving on Tuesday at Cranbourne, outside Melbourne, with Mandela who started favourite in the Brisbane Cup (2400m) in June but finished a disappointing ninth.
Australian punters haven't warmed to the Ebony Grosve six-year-old gelding, a $35 chance with TAB Sportsbet in Australia.
Interest was higher in New Zealand where he was $26 last night. Yuill points to Mandela's wins fresh off the plane at his last two Tasman crossings: the Geelong Cup a year ago and the group three Chairman's Handicap in Brisbane in May.
"His record in Australia is pretty good - five starts for two wins and a placing," Yuill said.
"They'll know he's in the race for a long way. I don't know why he's paying $35 but I'll just be happy with my 10 per cent (trainer's fee)."
Mandela has been thereabouts with the top stayers in a 29-start career which includes seven wins, a second to Xcellent in the New Zealand Derby, a ninth in last year's Melbourne Cup and just over $650,000 in stakes for his Auckland owners David and Elizabeth Olsen.
Last start he was fifth, a half-length behind Princess Coup, in the Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings.
He carried 59kg, 4kg more than Princess Coup ($16 chance tomorrow), and drops to 52.5kg to meet Princess Coup on 2.5kg better terms.
"It's a big drop for us and it'll be interesting at the weights this time," Yuill said.
Hot favourite Maldivian, bred by Cambridge Stud's Sir Patrick Hogan from his champion sire Zabeel, also has a big weight drop of 6kg from his win over star mare Miss Finland at Caulfield last Saturday.
Princess Coup's brilliant Kelt win persuaded jockey Glen Boss to jump off Mandela, meaning Danny Nikolic takes the mount today.
Nikolic rode Serious Speed to victory in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Wednesday.
Nikolic told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: "He is a Geelong Cup winner who is probably at his right price.
"The trip won't be a problem, he's a genuine horse and I know if he gets the right run from a good alley, he'll run a race."
- AAP
