Ladbrokes Tip: The Caulfield Classic is a key Victoria Derby lead-up each spring
The Caulfield Classic – currently run as the Neds Classic for sponsorship purposes – is an important Group 3 race run and won at Caulfield Racecourse each October over the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
2022 Caulfield Classic winner Mr Maestro. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The 2000m event currently offers $200,000 in stakes and is a set weights race open only to three-year-olds.
The Caulfield Classic takes place on Caulfield Cup Day with racing at the meeting headlined by the Melbourne Cup hopefuls facing off in the Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m).
The Caulfield Classic was first run in 1971 as the Wallace Stakes and is officially registered as the Norman Robinson Stakes.
Up until 1990 it was a handicap event before changing to its current set weights conditions.
The race has held its current Group 3 status since 2005.
The Caulfield Classic remains a key lead-up into Flemington’s Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) run at headquarters on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup.
To date five horses have completed the Caulfield Classic – Victoria Derby double: Omnicorp (1987), Nothin’ Leica Dane (1995), Blackfriars (1999), Amalfi (2001), and most recently Polanski (2013).
The latest edition of the Caulfield Classic ran as the Neds Classic on Saturday October 21, 2023 as part of the Caulfield Cup Day race card and saw the front-running Sunsets ($16) hold on for a narrow but stylish upset ahead of the $2 million VRC Derby.
2023 Caulfield Classic Results
The full Caulfield Classic 2023 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday October 21, 2023 .
The Victoria Derby-bound Sunsets was too strong in the 2023 Caulfield Classic results scoring a narrow upset. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #5 Sunsets
- 2nd: #2 Riff rocket
- 3rd: #6 Gates
The $2 million Victoria Derby on November 4 is calling for the progressive Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Dundeel colt Sunsets ($16) who sustained a long run in front to hold off the odds-on favourite Riff Rocket ($1.28) in a sensational upset to the 2023 Neds Classic results on Caulfield Cup Day.
2023 Caulfield Classic Odds
The season’s latest Caulfield Classic 2023 odds and links to our Caulfield Classic betting markets will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best prices on the VRC Derby-bound three-year-olds this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Early market betting odds on the 2024 Neds Classic will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.
Caulfield Classic Race Info
- Date: Saturday October 21, 2023
- Track: Caulfield Racecourse
- Distance: 2000m
- Conditions: 3YOs- Set Weights
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $200,000
- First Run: 1971
Caulfield Classic Betting
Caulfield Classic betting odds are led each season by quality three-year-old staying types with proven Melbourne form, ability over at least a mile, and those coming off a run in a lead-up race against similar rivals.
Gunstock ($3.80 in 2021) and Mr Maestro ($1.70 in 2022) are the latest favourites in Caulfield Classic betting to salute for the punters.
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Sunsets ($26) defeating the odds-on favourite Riff Rocket ($1.28) at big Neds Classic odds.
Caulfield Classic Tips
Good Caulfield Classic tips include looking for a three-year-old coming off a top three run in Group company, runners with winning form over the distance and the colts who have a better record over any fillies taking on the boys in the race with Sacred Eye (2015) the last filly to win.
Looking for the best in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) at Flemington earlier in the spring is another key Caulfield Classic betting tip with that race producing the past four winners most recently Sunsets (4th in 2023).
2023 Caulfield Classic Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Caulfield Classic 2023 betting tips will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the three-year-olds to back and sack in the Caulfield Cup Day support act this season.
- To Win: #2 Riff Rocket ($1.45 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Small but quality field, but the odds-on favourite Riff Rocket is impossible to bet against. He’s zero value now after winning two of his last three starts with the Chris Waller-trained gelding coming off a 5.5 length romp home in Flemington’s Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) on October 7. Up to 2000m now, but the distance looks a non-issue, he’ll eat it up. Same weight, similar rivals, inside alley and James McDonald. Back don’t sack with scope to come still.
Caulfield Classic Field
The Caulfield Classic race field attracts a collection of the season’s top young stayers many eyeing a Group 1 VRC Derby run over further on Derby Day a fortnight later.
The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) makes a nice lead-up into the Caulfield Classic field.
The Caulfield Classic nominations close on the Monday of race week before final acceptances on the Wednesday before Caulfield Cup Day.
2023 Caulfield Classic Field
The official Caulfield Classic 2023 Final Field & Barriers will be released on the Wednesday of race week and detailed in full below so stay tuned to see what three-year-olds line-up in the Group 3 showdown.
The Neds Classic 2023 field features just eight final acceptors dominated by Chris Waller’s odds-on favourite Riff Rocket who won the Super Impose (1800m) by 5.5 lengths last start.
2023 Caulfield Classic Nominations
The Caulfield Classic 2023 Nominations are first taken on the Monday leading-up to Caulfield Cup week and the full list of early entries will be available below once released.
The 2023 Neds Classic nominations are extended until 10:00am (AEDT) on 17/10/2023.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|
| 1 | 242×128 | APULIA | C | 3 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 69 |
| 2 | 78×1 | GATES | C | 3 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 64 |
| 3 | 2311 | GOLD BULLION (NZ) | G | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 70 |
| 4 | 17×121 | RIFF ROCKET | G | 3 | Chris Waller | 80 |
| 5 | 7×431 | ROGUERY | G | 3 | Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans | 62 |
| 6 | 3×421 | SACRED EAGLE | C | 3 | Symon Wilde | 62 |
| 7 | 642 | SEKANI | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 62 |
| 8 | 4×525124 | SUNSETS | C | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 64 |
| 9 | 30×4431452 | SUNSOURCE | C | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 73 |
| 10 | 41 | TO BE FRANK (NZ) | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 63 |
| 11 | 5×3252 | TOKYO RUN (NZ) | G | 3 | Dean Mirfin | 57 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Caulfield Classic Form Guide
The Caulfield Classic form guide gives punters all the crucial information from trainers, jockeys and barriers to the lead-up runs and track / distance records of the mares in the race.
The Caulfield Classic form has gone on to stack-up in tougher grade Group 1 races many times over the years especially in the VRC Derby.
Casual Pass meanwhile in 2003 franked the Caulfield Classic form going on to win that year’s Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes – now the Champions Stakes – against the older horses over the Cup Carnival.
2023 Caulfield Classic Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Caulfield Classic 2023 Form Guide will be available for punters the week of the race.
Caulfield Classic Results
The Caulfield Classic results have been dominated by in-form colts with an eye on the Victoria Derby.
Sacred Eye (2015) was the last Caulfield Classic winning filly.
Lady Purpose holds the current Caulfield Classic race record winning over 2000m in 1991 in a time of 2 minutes 1 second.
Past Caulfield Classic Winners
Recent Caulfield Classic winners and place-getters dating back to the year 1988 are detailed in the below table.
| Year |
Winner |
2nd |
3rd |
Time |
| 2023 |
Sunsets |
Riff Rocket |
Gates |
2:05.5 |
| 2022 |
Mr Maestro |
Muramasa |
Distrustful Award |
2:06.8 |
| 2021 |
Gunstock |
El Patroness |
Teewaters |
2:05.5 |
| 2020 |
Albarado |
Let’s Karaka Deal |
Hit The Shot |
2:07.9 |
| 2019 |
Thought Of That |
Warning |
Brilliant Venture |
2:02.8 |
| 2018 |
Thinkin’ Big |
Chapada |
Sikorsky |
2:06.7 |
| 2017 |
Cliff’s Edge |
Tangled |
Main Stage |
2:02.4 |
| 2016 |
Good Standing |
Rocketeer |
Inference |
2:04.3 |
| 2015 |
Sacred Eye |
Lizard Island |
Etymology |
2:03.2 |
| 2014 |
Fontein Ruby |
Crafty |
Firehouse Rock |
2:03.8 |
| 2013 |
Polanski |
San Diego |
Epic Saga |
2:02.0 |
| 2012 |
Hvasstan |
Honorius |
Electric Fusion |
2:03.8 |
| 2011 |
Sabrage |
Sangster |
Niagara |
2:03.0 |
| 2010 |
Retrieve |
Almindoro |
Digital Fortress |
2:08.3 |
| 2009 |
Shamoline Warrior |
Onemorenomore |
Gathering |
2:03.9 |
| 2008 |
Pre Eminence |
Miss Scarlatti |
Paddy O’Reilly |
2.04.3 |
| 2007 |
Pillar Of Hercules |
Down Under Boy |
Villian |
2:04.5 |
| 2006 |
Get Square |
Ulfah |
Sir Lago |
2:03.6 |
| 2005 |
Pendragon |
Headturner |
Replicator |
2:03.5 |
| 2004 |
Cedar Manor |
Court Ricardo |
King Durham |
2:04.5 |
| 2003 |
Casual Pass |
Our Court |
Face Value |
2:04.5 |
| 2002 |
Platinum Scissors |
Hydrometer |
Aint Here |
2:02.3 |
| 2001 |
Amalfi |
Grey Song |
Tully Zeal |
2:05.3 |
| 2000 |
Royale Exit |
Hit The Roof |
Adolescence |
2:01.2 |
| 1999 |
Blackfriars |
Chief Scout |
Freemason |
2:04.5 |
| 1998 |
Lawyer |
Sky Heights |
Arena |
2:04.3 |
| 1997 |
Brave Prince |
Danasuria |
Tie The Knot |
2:03.5 |
| 1996 |
Mustang Ranch |
Tambour |
Ebony Grosve |
2:04.4 |
| 1995 |
Nothin Leica Dane |
Catalan Opening |
Arctic Scent |
2:05.2 |
| 1994 |
Punctual |
Destined |
Celtic Explosion |
2:04.2 |
| 1993 |
Battle Hawk |
Waikikamukau |
McGuane |
2:02.6 |
| 1992 |
River Hero |
Skilero |
Queens Choice |
2:07.7 |
| 1991 |
Lady Purpose |
Star Of The Realm |
Barrakee |
2:00.1 |
| 1990 |
Big Dermott |
Callao Star |
Fire Oak |
2:03.6 |
| 1989 |
Counterfeit |
Ice Solid |
Lemarque |
2:01.6 |
| 1988 |
Panneria |
Yarra Bay |
Oakwood |
2:00.0 |