Experience and form give Best Solution his Caulfield Cup chance

As the most experienced European trainer ever to racehorses in Australia, Saeed bin Suroor knows better than most what is required to win a G1 Caulfield Cup.

In his opinion, Best Solution, who lines up in the race on Saturday, 20 October, is “ready to go” and give Godolphin its second victory in a race widely regarded as the world’s toughest 2,400m handicap.

Saeed won the Caulfield showpiece for Godolphin in 2008 with All The Good - a horse who, like Best Solution, arrived in Australia in the best form of his career.

Best Solution comes into Saturday’s race in peak form, having won G1 races in Germany on his past two starts, plus a G2 contest at Newmarket before that.

His trainer has already enjoyed success in Australia recently, courtesy of last weekend’s win for stablemate Benbatl in the G1 Caulfield Stakes.

“I’m happy with Best Solution and how he has settled in to his new surroundings,” Saeed said. 

“The 2,400 metres of the Caulfield Cup is a big positive for him. 

“He is a multiple G1 winner in Germany who also won the G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes on the July Course at Newmarket.  

“He has improved this year, and I am very pleased with the way he has been finishing off his races. 

“He’s ready to go.”

Under the compressed handicaps of the Caulfield Cup, Best Solution carries 57.5kg (9st1lb).

While 15 of the 20 Caulfield Cup acceptors began their racing careers in either Europe or Japan, it may be the locally-bred pair Ace High and Youngstar who represent the greatest danger.

Ace High won the G1 Spring Champion Stakes as a three-year-old and indicated he was approaching the same form with a last-start win in the G2 Hill Stakes over 2,000m at Randwick.

Youngstar established her credentials during the winter in Brisbane, putting up incredible performances to win the G1 Queensland Oaks before finishing third against the colts in the G1 Queensland Derby.

Closest to Best Solution in the weights is The Cliffsofmoher who caught the eye with a fine fourth on his Australian debut, only seven days before the Cup.