Probable fields: Thousand Guineas day

Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield includes two Group 1 races, with the Thousand Guineas and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes running plus the $500,000 Country Cups Final for the second time since its inception in 2023.

The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes features a strong team from Ciaron Maher Racing, with multiple G1 winner Southport Tycoon and rising stars Another Wil and Jimmysstar in the 1400m G1 event.

Wimmera-trained galloper Steparty is another couple taking part in the race.

A decision on whether Tuvalu will start first will be made by Lindsey Smith later this week while the horse is on track for a late spring/summer campaign aimed at the rich new Supernova final race at Pakenham.

SIR RUPERT CLARKE STAKES 1400m Group 1 Handicap, from 3 years

TUVALU (L Smith)

SOUTH HARBOR TYCOON (C Maher) M Zahra

MR ROY (B, W & JD Hayes)

BUFFALO RIVER (M Moroney & G Thompson) C Gaudray (a)

JIMMYSSTAR (C Maher) D Lane

ANOTHER WILL (C Maher) J Kah

CHARM STONE (M Price & M Kent Jnr) M Dee

WAR MACHINE (M Moroney & G Thompson) D Bates

AGE OF KINGS (C Waller)

STEP PARTY (P Preusker)

RUN HARRY RUN (M Moroney & G Thompson)

IT’S ME (D Bowman) D Moor

BITTERCREEK (L & T Corstens & W Larkin) R Dolan

Aeliana will start cheap favorite in Saturday’s Thousand Guineas thanks to her win in the Carbine Club Stakes at the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

She will face a host of Vanity-bred fillies, including winner Zeitung, who will have Jamie Kah in the saddle.

Fillies Classic winner Double Market will be a candidate for Hayes’ stable following her G2 win at The Valley a few weeks ago.

The lightly flown filly from the Te Akau Racing team Stage ‘N’ Screen is also likely to be a 1600m runner.

A THOUSAND GUINEAS 1600m Group 1, 3 year old fillies, set weights

AELIANA (C Waller) J McDonald

DOUBLE MARKET (B, W & JD Hayes) M Dee

ZEITUNG (J Cummings) J Kah

TO DARN LIZZIE (G Waterhouse & A Bott)

GEE GEE’S MISTRUTH (S Gandy) B Melham

SUPERCILIOUS (L & T Corstens & W Larkin) J Childs

BENAGIL (M Moroney & G Thompson) L Currie

LOVELYCUT (R Goodwin) D Lane

MATISSE (A & S Freedman) M Zahra

DOMINETTA (G Waterhouse & A Bott)

ANOTHER PROPHET (C Maher) E Brown

Meanwhile, the $500,000 Country Cup Final will see some of Victoria’s toughest horses battle it out against a large field expected for the 2000m handicap race.

Murtoa Cup winner Station One, Horsham Cup winner Dublin Journal, Warrnambool Cup winner Mystery Island, Moe Cup winner Keats, Kyneton Cup winner New York Hurricane and Sunday’s Ararat Cup winner Pittspurgh Pirate are all expected in the field and have achieved a safe start.

Glitter ‘N’ Gold will probably be playing here, even though it hasn’t started since late September.

Young Werther, Charterhouse and Pounding are possible starters, with connections to be decided during the week.

COUNTRY CUP FINAL, 2000m, Handicap

STATION ONE (L Howley)

MYSTERY ISLAND (S Jackson)

PICAROEN (T Dabernig)

GLITTER ‘N’ GOLD (L Smith)

KEATS (G Bedggood)

PITTSBURGH PIRATE (H Dwyer) N Farley

STARSPANGLED BABY (A Perdon)

ANY LUCK (W Walters)

CHARTER HOUSE (C Maher)

PUNDEN (P Moody & K Coleman)

NEW YORK HURRICANE (L Howley)

DUBLIN JOURNAL (B, W & JD Hayes)

CADAZIO (G Johnstone)

MI ROCK ALY (M Williams)

TOO CLOSE THE SUN (C Maher)

SUNSETS (T Busuttin & N Young)

YOUNG WERTHER (D O’Brien)

ARRAN BAY (P Stokes)

LOTTAROC (D Noonan)

*All likely fields are indicative only and are subject to change.