Cilacap takes tough route to Australasian Oaks

Image: Bruno Cannatelli

An open company assignment at Caulfield can set Cilacap up for an Oaks test in Adelaide.

Grahame Begg is looking to chase a Group 1 race in Adelaide with Cilacap, but in a bid to get to that race the filly will tackle open company at Caulfield.

The Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) on Saturday will be Cilacap’s final lead-up to the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on April 26.

Begg chose Saturday’s race for two reasons – he wanted to test the filly at 2000m and did not want to be making two trips to Adelaide for the Oaks.

The traditional Australasian Oaks lead-up is the Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) at Morphettville on Saturday week.

In an open betting race, Cilacap is the $5.50 favourite in early betting to win the Easter Cup and while content to tackle the 2000m against open company, Begg said Cilacap was not well-weighted against her opponents on Saturday.

Cilacap, who has a handicap rating of 90, was allotted 54kg on Saturday, but when weights were released on Monday, her true weight, if weighted as a handicap, she would have 46kg.

Begg cannot understand why Saturday’s race, being at Group 3 level, is not treated as a traditional handicap.

He said Cilacap did not even receive any sex allowance for being a three-year-old filly.

“I don’t understand why they don’t let horses run at their true rating and allow them to get their sex allowance,” Begg said.

“They let them run at their true weight in Sydney, so they are not handicap races in the true sense. There’s no spread in the weights.”

Cilacap has raced only six times, registering four wins and a third, and is coming off a last start victory in the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley where she overcame a track favouring on-pace runners.

Begg said the 2000m on Saturday should not pose a problem as Cilacap was a relaxed filly while it gives her an extra week ahead of the Australasian Oaks.

“She’s very relaxed and her mother (Falkenberg) ran third in a Queensland Oaks,” Begg said.

“We’ll see if she runs the trip, but she switched off well last start, however this time she’s up against hard and tough geldings, so it will be a good test for her.”