by Shane McNally

Whobegotyou emerged as a rising star in Australian racing and the leading contender for the Victoria Derby (Aus-G1) when he raced away with the $652,277 The Age Caulfield Guineas (Aus-G1) on Saturday at Caulfield.

The three-year-old Street Cry (Ire) gelding completed 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs) on turf rated as dead in 1:36.40. Whobegotyou was sent off as the favorite and gave his supporters no reason to worry as he settled midfield, surged into contention on the turn, and sprinted clear for a 3 1/4-length win.

Whobegotyou’s performance left trainer Mark Kavanagh searching for superlatives as he said the gelding will now go to the Derby on November 1 at Flemington.

“That was awesome,” Kavanagh said. “In this preparation, we haven’t had any setbacks and he keeps improving. It’s starting to get pretty exciting.”

Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1)-winning jockey Michael Rodd, back to his best after a mystery illness earlier this year, said Whobegotyou deserved a chance to be tried at the 2,500-meter (12.43-furlong) Victoria Derby distance after the dominant victory.

“That’s the best bunch of three-year-olds we’ve got and he ate ‘em up,” Rodd said. “He’s going to be the next big thing. What he did today was just extraordinary. Stretch him out to the Derby and see how we go.”

Alamosa regained his Group 1-winning New Zealand form as he swept to an easy win in the David Jones Toorak Handicap (Aus-G1), also on Saturday at Caulfield.

The four-year-old O’Reilly colt originally was slated to contest the Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1) on October 18 and the Tatts W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-G1) on October 25, but trainer Mick Price believed the proven weight-for-age performer would be better suited to 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs). He showed a genuine class edge against his opponents in the Toorak Handicap, winning by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:36.95 under Craig Newitt.

Earlier in the day, Douro Valley turned in an outstanding trial for next week’s Caulfield Cup as he led for the last mile to win the weight-for-age Caulfield/Yalumba Stakes (Aus-G1) at 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs).

The seven-year-old Encosta De Lago gelding held on under steady urging from James Winks to beat heavy favorite Pompeii Ruler and third-place finisher Guillotine. Douro Valley completed the distance in 2:04.37 and confirmed his status as a leading contender for the Caulfield Cup, a race in which he finished second last year.

Mercedes New Zealand Derby (NZ-G1) winner C’Est La Guerre may have produced the best spring prep race of the day with his fourth-place finish in the Yalumba. The four-year-old Shinko King gelding came with a sustained finish out wide, giving every indication he is ideally suited for the 3,200-meter (15.91-furlong) distance of the Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) at Flemington on November 4.

Shane McNally is an Australia-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent