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| Staff Writer |
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Caballus is set to make his Group One debut in Saturday's Gr.1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley, with trainer Bjorn Baker confident the 4YO entire is ready for the step up in class.
Sydney-based jockey Josh Parr made a flying visit to Melbourne on Tuesday to put Caballus through his paces at The Valley, and came away impressed with the horse's performance.
"I was keen to get on him and show him around this racecourse," Parr said. "The number one thing I wanted to take out of the gallop was him getting around the track comfortably, and he did that. That gives me some nice confidence and it's a big box ticked."
The rider added: "It's obviously going to be a high-pressure race and a fast event, so we needed him to come here and be in a bit more of a familiar environment."
Melbourne raid follows Sydney success
Caballus, formerly trained by Chris Waller, has flourished since joining Baker's yard, notching victories at Rosehill and Randwick before finishing third behind Estriella in the Inglis Sprint at Flemington in March.
Baker has given the son of Snitzel two trials in Sydney to prepare for his Melbourne raid, with Caballus chasing home Joliestar in his first trial before finishing second to Storm Boy in his most recent outing on August 19.
Parr, who has been aboard Caballus for his recent work, believes the entire has made significant progress since his last trip south.
"I think he's a more seasoned horse now than what he was when he came down in the autumn," the jockey observed. "The work on Tuesday was good and we were fortunate enough to have a partner, Epimeles, and it gave a kick, and I had to lean on my bloke a little bit to get him to extend."
Moir Stakes a stern test
The Moir Stakes, run over 1000 metres, has a rich history of producing top-class sprinters. Previous winners include Black Caviar, who triumphed in 2010 and 2011 before going on to achieve legendary status with 25 consecutive victories. More recently, Nature Strip claimed the prize in 2019 en route to becoming a four-time Group One winner and Royal Ascot hero.
Caballus will need to bring his A-game to compete at this level, as Parr acknowledges: "There's not going to be anywhere to hide on Saturday, so we're going to have to bring our A-game, for sure."
The 4YO has been stabled with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young at Cranbourne during his Melbourne stay, allowing him to acclimate to his surroundings before the big race.
With a purse of US$750,000 (£600,000) up for grabs, the Moir Stakes represents a significant opportunity for Caballus to prove himself among Australia's sprinting elite. Baker and Parr will be hoping their charge can rise to the occasion and announce himself as a new star on the Group One stage.