Morphettville Racing Tips 9 May 2026 — can Vaniteux finally land one?
Caulfield Racing Tips 9 May — can Maher win early?
Opening
There’s a funny little push and pull on this Caulfield card: you’ve got the biggest barn on the page in C Maher throwing multiple darts early, but the two races we can see are exactly the sort where Caulfield can make you look silly if you get the map wrong. Race 1 is a two-year-old handicap with a stack of unknowns, big barriers, and one obvious reference point: Jarbardar has already won a race and draws to control his own story. Race 2 is a 2187m Benchmark where the market usually over-rewards “stayer vibes” and under-prices simple things like a soft run, a rider who knows where the winning post is, and a horse that’s already proven it handles this track.
Below are my Caulfield racing tips for Saturday, 9 May 2026: two races, both on turf, and both approached the same way I’d do it on a Saturday morning, sort the likely shape first, then decide who gets the best run, then price it up in my head and bet only when the story makes sense.
Caulfield — the setup
Track data is thin across today’s fields in the places that matter most: most runners have only one or two prior goes at Caulfield, so I’m treating course records as context rather than gospel. Where it does matter, I’m leaning on the jockey and trainer profiles, because those samples are finally meaningful.
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Three jockeys with proper volume at Caulfield and strong “get you paid” profiles are right in the frame on this card: Craig Williams (33 rides here in the sample and he hits the frame often), Ben Allen (23 rides, plenty of placings), and Logan Bates (42 rides, half of them end in a top-four cheque). That matters at Caulfield, where getting to the right spot at the right time often beats “best horse on paper”.
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Williams | 33 | 7 | 21 | 21.21 | 63.64 |
| Ben Allen | 23 | 5 | 13 | 21.74 | 56.52 |
| Logan Bates | 42 | 6 | 21 | 14.29 | 50.00 |
| Mark Zahra | 19 | 3 | 7 | 15.79 | 36.84 |
Trainer-wise, there’s one stable I’m happy to treat as “bankable” at this venue: A & S Freedman. They’ve got 37 runners in the course sample and win at a healthy clip, with plenty of placings behind it. Maher has numbers too (80 runners), but the strike-rate is more honest: he’s strong, not automatic. That’s a good lens for Race 1 where he’s got a little battalion.
| Trainer | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A & S Freedman | 37 | 9 | 16 | 24.32 | 43.24 |
| P G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 37 | 6 | 14 | 16.22 | 37.84 |
| T & C McEvoy | 18 | 3 | 9 | 16.67 | 50.00 |
| C Maher | 80 | 10 | 27 | 12.50 | 33.75 |
| Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 69 | 6 | 24 | 8.70 | 34.78 |
Race-by-race
Race 1: Sportsbet Feed Hcp — 12:10, 1203m
Jarbardar looks the obvious anchor and I’m not trying to outsmart it: he’s the only runner here with a win next to his name, he draws barrier 2, and J Lyon gets every chance to put him in the first three pairs without spending petrol. In a juvenile handicap at Caulfield, that’s half the job. The other half is handling the pressure when they quicken, and his profile says he’s already learned how to finish a race.
The Maher trio is what makes this interesting rather than a point-and-shoot. Blue Meteor (form 3), King Koruna (form 5) and Icelady (form 42) give the stable multiple looks at the race shape, and you can read them as different weapons. The issue is they’re drawn awkwardly: Blue Meteor (13) and Icelady (12) might need luck early, while King Koruna (7) at least gives John Allen options. None of them screams “must back” off the map, which is why I’m happy to keep it simple.
The danger I keep coming back to is Shooting Brake. He ran second on debut, he draws 8 which is workable in a race with plenty of speed influences, and Ben Allen is one of the riders you actually trust to make decisions at Caulfield rather than wait for instructions. He’s also already placed on his only visit here, which is a nice sign without pretending it’s a trend.
Staking: Win bet Jarbardar. Save quinella with Shooting Brake if you want cover.
Race 2: Thank You Lynden Tymms (Bm78) — 12:40, 2187m
Here’s the question that decides the race: do you want the in-form improver with a sticky gate, or the horse that can land in the first six from a kind draw and sprint off the bend? I’m taking the second option and backing Simurgh.
He comes through as the right blend of upside and practicality. He’s lightly raced in this sort of grade (the form line reads 4, then a win, then a second), he gets Craig Williams</strong who rides Caulfield like it’s his backyard, and barrier 6 gives him the chance to find a spot before the tempo games start. Williams rides plenty here and places at a high clip, which matters more in these 2000m-plus races than people admit. The Hayes team doesn’t own this track on raw strike-rate, but they’re there often enough to respect when they look like they’ve placed a horse properly.
The main danger is Dreams Come True</strong. The Price and Kent profile at Caulfield stands up on a proper sample, and the horse’s recent form (113-23) screams consistency. He’ll likely be in the race at the 400m, and if they turn it into a grind from the 800m, that honest staying profile can bully the “turn of foot” types out of it.
One more note: Autumn Slide</strong draws gate 1 and has placed in both Caulfield runs. That’s not enough to label him anything, but it’s enough to say he won’t hate the place, and the map could make him a nuisance at odds.
Staking: Win bet Simurgh. Small saver exacta (1st and 2nd) with Dreams Come True if the market lets you.
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The plays
NAP: Simurgh (Race 2, 12:40). It’s the Caulfield combo you want: Craig Williams steering, a gate that keeps the horse out of trouble, and a profile that says he’s still climbing rather than treading water.
Value: Shooting Brake (Race 1, 12:10) as the danger to the favourite. He’s already shown he can run to a placing, and Ben Allen’s Caulfield record is strong enough that I’m happy to be with him when the map isn’t perfect.
Banker for multis: Jarbardar to run top 2 (Race 1). Barrier 2 and a prior win is the simplest “less can go wrong” angle on the card.
Each-way lean: Dreams Come True (Race 2). If you get a price, you’re buying a horse that keeps turning up and running into the money.
Course angle: Don’t ignore the Freedmans at Caulfield. Their strike-rate here is built on volume, and when they roll one out that looks ready, the market is often right to respect it.
Keep an eye on how Williams rides the 2187m event: if he’s hunting lanes early and pressing from the 800m, that’s your cue for the rest of the meeting, because Caulfield staying races can turn into tactical sprints very quickly.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Caulfield today?
Racing kicks off at 12:10 with the Sportsbet Feed Handicap over 1203m.
Who are the top jockeys at Caulfield on today’s numbers?
On the course sample provided, Craig Williams (33 rides) and Ben Allen (23 rides) both win at around one in five at Caulfield and place often. Logan Bates (42 rides) also hits the frame regularly, which matters if you’re playing each-way or exotics.
Who are the top trainers at Caulfield on today’s numbers?
A & S Freedman stand out on a meaningful sample at Caulfield (37 runners) with a strong strike-rate, while C Maher brings the biggest volume (80 runners) and still holds a solid overall record. Today, Maher also has multiple runners in Race 1, so the stable tactics matter.
What are the best bets at Caulfield today?
My best bet is Simurgh in Race 2 (12:40). The early anchor is Jarbardar in Race 1 (12:10), helped by the soft draw and the fact he’s already won a race.
Where can I find the best Caulfield odds?
Shop around with the major corporates and the tote, because prices can move quickly around scratchings and late mail. For this meeting, I couldn’t retrieve live odds for the two races provided, so treat early prices with caution and re-check closer to jump. You’ll find bookmaker markets and promos through RacingBase, but always compare before you bet.
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