Kings Will Dream, Caulfield Cup favourite; Darren Weir

“He can’t be in better order. He’s had a fantastic preparation. If he doesn’t win he’s not good enough,” Weir said.

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“If he can land in the right spot, say in the first eight, he’ll be in the finish. He’s been racing well at weight-for-age and the key is that he’ll drop in weight.”

Kings Will Dream has been favourite for the Caulfield Cup since his triumph in the Mornington Cup, which offered a guaranteed start in the feature.

At his final lead-in run the five-year-old gelding finished third behind Winx and Caulfield Cup rival Youngstar in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, but Weir believes he should have been closer.

“Craig (Williams) went to the inside and he probably should have gone to the outside and he would have finished closer,” Weir said.

He said although Kings Will Dream secured a Caulfield Cup start by winning the Mornington Cup in March it hadn’t affected his preparation.

“He would have had the same preparation. It was nice knowing he was there but I would have done everything exactly the same,” Weir said.

The trainer will have two other starters in the Cup — $21 TAB chance Night’s Watch and Gallic Chieftain $61.

Night’s Watch had his final lead-up run in last Saturday’s Caulfield Stakes where he finished sixth.

“I thought he ran well without running a great race last week,” Weir said.

“It wasn’t the run where you’d say he’s a really great chance in the Caulfield Cup, but one you’d say it’s worth having a crack at.

“There’s a little question mark around him running 2400m too but the key is he drops in weight.

“The outside barrier (18) might work for him as he’ll go back and be out of what could be carnage early for horses drawn in.”

Weir said Gallic Chieftain, who finished fourth behind Yucatan last Saturday in the Herbert Power Stakes, could run a cheeky race.

“He’s well drawn and it should work out well for him with the horses around him. I’m thinking he’ll run a top eight to 10 and that should get a nice return for the owners,” he said.

“The back-up suits him and I’m confident he’ll beat more horses home than beat him.”

Red Verdon has been pbaded fit to run in the $5 million Caulfield Cup after being examined by Racing Victoria stewards late on Friday, but will require one further inspection at the track on Saturday.

The Ed Dunlop-trained horse had precautionary scans of the near fore leg. He had dermatitis of the forelimbs which had caused mild inflammation.

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WEIR RUNNER CERTAIN TO START FAVOURITE

KINGS Will Dream is almost certain to start favourite in the Caulfield Cup, according to the TAB, but one ambitious punter has backed $101 chance Mighty Boss to win $140,000 by causing another big Caulfield Group 1 upset.

The TAB’s Nick Quinn said the money had continued to come for the Darren Weir-trained Kings Will Dream in a steady flow, but he expects some of the bigger punters to launch in even further the closer it gets to the race.

“He is rock solid at $5,” Quinn said. “There was a bit of conjecture throughout the course of the week about which runner would star favourite in the race.

“Obviously Yucatan was favourite on Sunday, Youngstar was favourite on Monday, but since the barrier draw the swell of support is gaining towards Kings Will Dream, and he will clearly be the best back runner come race time.”

Mighty Boss hasn’t won since last year’s Caulfield Guineas, saluting at $101, but someone thinks Mick Price’s flashy horse rates a chance. That punter had $1000 the win on the horse at $101, and $1500 the place at $22.

Youngstar got out to $6.50, but has edged back to $6.

Night’s Watch has blown from $12 out to $21. The Cliffsofmoher is tight at $7.50, while Ace High has received some support and is now into $11.

MONEY TRAIN

CAULFIELD CUP: Youngstar ($6-$6.50-$6) has gone out again but it hasn’t stopped punters from backing her. This afternoon, TAB reports that they have taken bets of $1,700 @ $6.50 and $1000 @ $6 TWICE and that she is the most popular runner in terms of money taken on Friday. Kings Will Dream ($5) has been the next best supported over the past 24 hours while Ace High ($11) has continued to generate good backing.

TRISTARC STAKES: Punters have been keen to back Invincibella ($4-$4.60-$3.90) this afternoon. The Chris Waller mare got out to as much as $4.60 thanks to TAB’s Early Bird promotion, which is when the big money started coming for her. Some of the bets placed on Invincibella today include $1000 @ $4.20 and $1,000 @ $4 THREE TIMES.

CAULFIELD CLASSIC: Extra Brut ($2.70) is now more than twice as popular as anything else in the race. The colt is a clear top pick in front of Think’ Big ($3.80) while Chapada ($10) has been supported at eachway odds.

NIVISION: There has been some specking for Perizada ($26-$14-$17) to cause an upset in the Nivison. The mare is actually one of the more popular runners in the race with only Pecans ($4.60) and Resin ($9-$8.50) holding more at this point.