2026 Caulfield Cup Preview

WINE DARK SEA (10) is one of three international raiders set to contest this year’s Caulfield Cup. Trained by Henry Charlton, the UK galloper has won four of his ten starts and arrives in strong form after claiming the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes over 2671m at Newbury. It was bold front-running display, where he always looked in control and gave a good kick to score by a length and a half.

He carried 61kg on that occasion, so he’s sure to appreciate the significant drop in weight and his record over 2400m is impressive, with two wins and a narrow defeat from three starts at the journey. Barrier nineteen is a worry but Damian Lane takes the reins and if he can get across without burning too much petrol early, he’ll be in it for a long way.

COSMIC CRUSADER (2) will line up as Cup favourite and deservedly so. He’s the progressive horse who has yet to put of hoof wrong this campaign and he certainly stamped himself as a serious contender with an authoritative victory in the Turnbull Stakes.

A son of Maurice, out of a Street Sense mare, he’s yet to tick the 2400m box but the way he finds the line suggests he’ll have no trouble running the journey out strongly. Having proved himself at WFA level, he gets in very well here with 56kgs, so the only real concern is the wide gate. If he can find cover early and settle within striking distance, I expect him to be right there at the finish.

HALF YOURS (1), the thirteenth horse to complete the Caulfield–Melbourne Cup double, is back to do it all again. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained six-year-old has had just two lead-up runs and, on both occasions, has given the impression that he is looking for more ground.

He is unbeaten in two starts at Caulfield, boasts a perfect two from two record over 2400 metres, and has the blinkers reapplied here in place of the visors. Jamie Melham has elected to ride in Sydney as she chases a win in The Everest, but that is no reason to lose faith in this staying star. The team could not have secured a better replacement, with Mark Zahra taking the reins as he seeks to add a third Caulfield Cup trophy to the mantelpiece.

TREASURETHE MOMENT (3) showed a glimpse of her best form as she chased strongly in the Feehan Stakes to finish a clear second behind Pride of Jenni and for that reason, I do think she’s up to this. I thought she did enough last time off a hot tempo in the Caulfield Stakes and adding merit to her performance is that she was found to be lame post-race.

There is no doubting her class and she’s proven on the quick back-up. A four-time Group 1 winner who also placed in last year’s Ladbrokes Cox Plate, she will take plenty of beating if she returns to anything near her best. She looks ready for 2400m, boasts an excellent record at Caulfield and draws to receive the perfect run in transit.