Strong form link offers Blue Sapphire hope to Radcliffe

A link with the recent G1 winners Global Glamour and Yankee Rose offers the Godolphin colt Radcliffe his chance in the G3 Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield on Wednesday, October 12.

While trainer John O’Shea is stepping Radcliffe up a couple of grades for this appearance, he can look to the colt’s only win, along with natural improvement, as a source of encouragement.

Back in April Radcliffe, who is to be ridden by Craig Williams, won a two-year-old race at Warwick Farm beating the good filly Sezanne who earlier this month finished third in the G1 Flight Stakes behind Global Glamour and Yankee Rose.

At her next start Global Glamour won the G1 Thousand Guineas while Yankee Rose claimed the G1 Spring Champion Stakes at her subsequent outing.

“Radcliffe is a handy colt who is working his way through the grades and there are some positives to support him,” O’Shea said.

“There looks to be some handy horses in Wednesday’s race, so we should get a nice idea where he fits in.”

The second day of the Caulfield Cup Carnival also offers the opportunity for Antelucan to improve on a record that already includes two stakes wins when she runs in the G3 Ladies’ Day Vase.

Antelucan (John O’Shea/Ben Melham) scored her most important victory in the Listed Adelaide Guineas in May at her final run before going for a winter break.

At her second start of this campaign she ran an encouraging race behind French Emotion at G3 level at Flemington.

“She’s a good, honest filly who should appreciate getting out to 1600m,” O’Shea said.

The Godolphin line-up at Caulfield is completed in non-graded races by Demonstrate (John O’Shea/Craig Williams) in the Movenpick Handicap while the same trainer and jockey partnership combines with Unbreakable in the Alannah Hill Plate.