Group Three Caulfield Test For Vashka And Kumaon

Time/Date - 16.20hrs local time/Saturday, October 17, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Caulfield/Australia
Surface/Distance - Turf/1400m

The consistent Vashka will be looking to hold his form and the G1-placed Kumaon will continue his comeback in the G3 Moonga Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, October 17.

Vashka (John O'Shea/ James McDonald) proved himself one of the most reliable restricted class performers in Australia this time last year winning five races in succession and defeating some handy opposition in the process.

After a couple of moderate runs when stepped up to Stakes company in his current preparation, the son of Exceed And Excel returned to his best in the G2 Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on September 26.

Allowed to stride along on pace, Vashka produced a game effort under 60kg to score narrowly.

That was the third run of his current preparation and trainer John O'Shea is confident Vashka can hold his form.

"He's improved since he came down to Melbourne. His coat is right and he loves firm ground which he looks like getting," O'Shea said.

"The only thing about him is that he's drawn barrier four and I'd have liked him to be a bit wider. He likes to go forward, but he can sometimes be a bit slow to get into stride."

Kumaon (John O'Shea/Craig Newitt) has a string of Stakes placings to his credit, the best of them his third in last year's G1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick as a two-year-old.

But O'Shea says it his fourth placing in last year's G1 Caulfield Guineas behind Shooting To Win that recommends him on Saturday.

"That was a high-class Caulfield Guineas and it showed that he can handle this track," he said.

Kumaon, a four-year-old son of Lonhro, has raced once this time in, finishing ninth behind Kaepernick over 1200m at Moonee Valley on October 2.

"This is much more suitable race than the Valley and he's ready to improve," O'Shea said.