A brief look at some of the races on Caulfield Guineas Day.
Asfoora too speedy in Schillaci
Trainer Henry Dwyer is planning one more spring start for Asfoora before putting the mare aside for a Melbourne autumn campaign.
The Group 1 sprint double of the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington and the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield are high in Dwyer's thoughts after Asfoora showed sustained speed to led throughout to win the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m).
The victory provided jockey Mitch Aitken with a career highlight, and he may be in for further Stakes race success during the spring if Asfoora heads to Flemington for the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on November 11.
Asfoora was coming off a last start second to Imperatriz in the Moir Stakes (1000m) where she ran the second fastest time ever recorded on the Strathayr surface at Moonee Valley.
"I haven't seen the times yet, but Damian Lane (Uncommon James) made a conscious effort to serve it up to her and he was probably on the stronger horse, but as it turns out she was really brave and kicked away," Dwyer said.
"She's just so good around here and we didn't win an Oakleigh Plate here because it was at Sandown, but I think if we can find an Oakleigh Plate here next year that will be ok."
Aitken said Asfoora was continually improving and believes there is more feature success to come.
"This is the biggest race of my career and I think she has more ahead of her," Aitken said.
"It's really exciting."
Ayrton back a winner
Ayrton has registered his first win after 18 months in the wilderness taking out the Listed Weekend Hussler (1400m) at his first run back from a spell.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper won six of his first eight starts and was looked upon as being a major contender during the 2021 season.
But a suspected spider bite forced Ayrton to the paddock and while the gelding came back the following autumn to win first-up at Caulfield, he was not the same horse, finishing out of the money in three runs during his last campaign earlier this year.
"He had a lot of toxicity in his system," Price said.
"We suspect it was a white tail spider. We nursed him and nursed him. He was a very sick horse.
"He could have easily called it a day and gone to heaven. I wasn't sure whether he'd come back today or ever, but today is a great day for the owners and the staff."
Moreira guides Military Mission to victory
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Military Mission dented the hopes of a number of Caulfield Cup entries with his win in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m).
With a ballot exemption up for grabs for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) next Saturday, Military Mission is not among nominations for next week's feature.
However, the Irish-bred gelding remains in the hunt for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7 in which he has 50.5kg, although he is eligible to be rehandicapped after Saturday's victory.
"He ran fourth to Just Fine the other day and was an absolute moral not to run second. He was back second last," Waterhouse said.
"I love the way he works himself into the race - both the jockey and the horse - and the way he was coming and coming at the end."
Moreira was having his first ride aboard the stayer and was impressed by the way Military Mission settled in the run.
"To the turn he came a bit wide and shied away from the other horses and struggled a little bit on the left turns, but into the straight he was always going to win," Moreira said.
She Dances shines second-up
The benefit of race fitness under the belt has secured She Dances her first Stakes race.
She Dances was racing second-up in the Group 1 Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m) after finishing midfield first-up in a benchmark 100 contest at Caulfield last month.
The daughter of Street Boss has been taken quietly through the grades by her trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, but is gathering a strong record, registering six wins from her 12 career starts.
"She's a tough little mare," Coleman said.
"She's got a great record over 1200 (metres) as well and when the race panned out the way it did, I thought this race has really worked in our favour."
Linda Meech has ridden the mare in eight of her starts for four wins and said She Dances was underdone in her first-up outing.
"She had done really well on her break, and I thought she carried a bit of excess last start," Meech said.
"She's got a high cruising speed and over 1200 she really relaxes."
Wishlor Lass lands hat-trick for Wilde
Wishlor Lass has provided Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde his third successive victory in the Group 3 Catanach's Jewellers Vase (1600m).
Previously run on the middle day of the Caulfield Cup Carnival, the race for fillies and mares was transferred to Saturday's program this year.
Sirileo Miss won the 1600m contest for Wilde in 2021 and 2022 before Wishlor Lass led throughout to score after appearing to be headed by the runner-up Barbie's Fox.
"She's a bit untapped and we threw her in the deep end today. I think she's got really good staying potential," Wilde said.
"I think that horse levelling with her actually pushed her on a bit. She's still very green and has got plenty of upside.
"That is a really valuable win for her, and we've got the mare and a lot of the progeny, so it is an important win."
Wilde said Wishlor Lass was likely to head to Flemington with a race on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, or a race on Final Day under consideration.
"Maybe the Empire Rose Stakes but we loosely pencilled in the 2000-metre mares' race, the Matriarch Stakes," Wilde said.
"That's the sort of race we thought she could be capable of, and she has done nothing to dent our confidence after that."
Quote of the day
"We found a few things out about him – don't go past a mile, don't run on wet tracks, and train him like a bit of a girl". Mick Price on Ayton after his first-up win in the Listed Weekend Hussler.
