The feature weight-for-age race has three northern hemisphere-trained runners — Godolphin duo Benbatl, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, and Charlie Appleby’s Blair House, while Irish training genius Aidan O’Brien is represented by The Cliffsofmoher.

But form expert Gary Crispe believes emerging four-year-old mare Unforgotten is the one to beat in the Caulfield Stakes.

“When Unforgotten won the ATC Australian Oaks back in the autumn she stamped herself as a star of the future,’’ Crispe said.

“Her form this time in has done nothing to sway me from that line of thinking.

“She ran a strong closing third in the Epsom Handicap last start, giving me the impression that a return to her peak was on the cards once she went up in trip.

“Unforgotten gets that opportunity now that she is out to 2000m and it makes her mighty hard to stop.’’

The last four-year-old mare to win a Caulfield Stakes was Tristarc in 1985.

Crispe said Benbatl headed the overseas challenge in the Caulfield Stakes.

“Benbatl ran the second fastest 1800m round the Meydan ever when blitzing the Dubai Turf field back in March and he has won at the top level since,’’ Crispe said.

“He’s a high-class performer and he has the racing pattern to use his inside draw.’’

Crispe said the Darren Weirtrained duo of Humidor and Tosen Basil would be competitive tomorrow.

The Chris Waller-trained D’Argento, a stablemate of Unforgotten and a $4.20 favourite for the Caulfield Stakes, finished in front of the mare when second to Hartnell in the Epsom.

“D’Argento gets back to 2000m and he won the Rosehill Guineas at his only try at the trip,’’ Crispe said.

Article taken from Daily Telegraph, published Friday 12th October 2018, Author, Ray Thomas, Page 65.