Caulfield Cup 2026 - UK Racing Expert Gives His Verdict on the Internationals

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Thu. 15 Oct. 2026 05:12

Jon Vine 1 hour ago

Share this article

Three European runners—Wine Dark Sea, Enfjaar, and Starford—are set to contest the 2026 Caulfield Cup, all with Melbourne Cup entries
Expert Jon Vine rates Enfjaar as the standout each-way bet, seeing ideal race conditions for the gelding
Wine Dark Sea is rapidly improving but may be better suited to the Melbourne Cup, while Starford faces ground and draw disadvantages

Ray Dawson rides Enfjaar to victory in the Coral Glorious Stakes at Goodwood on August 1, 2026. (Getty)

While much of the racing world's attention will be on Randwick for The Everest, Caulfield hosts another outstanding renewal of the $6 million Caulfield Cup on Saturday, with three European raiders among the contenders.

Wine Dark Sea
Enfjaar
Starford

All three internationals also hold Melbourne Cup entries, adding another dimension to their Australian campaigns as they prepare to tackle one of the spring's major staying features.

Jon Vine, editor of UK-based RacingInsider.com, joins bets.com.au to provide an expert European perspective on Wine Dark Sea, Enfjaar and Starford, assessing their form, credentials and prospects ahead of Saturday's Caulfield Cup.

Wine Dark Sea

Wine Dark Sea has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence over the past 12 months, with Harry Charlton's gelding rated just 75 when finishing second to Yabher in last season's Old Rowley Cup, but now preparing to make his Australian debut with a career-high rating of 113.

The four-year-old made a winning return at Ascot, dictating matters from the front before comfortably accounting for some modest opposition in another handicap at Carlisle, continuing his rapid progression through the British staying ranks.

A slightly below-par performance in the Betway Trophy at Newmarket was quickly forgotten when Wine Dark Sea produced a career-best showing in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, fending off Tabletalk in a strongly run contest and recording an impressive time in the process.

Caulfield's turning circuit and the prospect of fast ground should suit this improving gelding, although I fancy the two-mile Melbourne Cup will ultimately prove a better fit than Saturday's 2400m assignment, with Wine Dark Sea nevertheless possessing enough upside to make his presence felt in both races.

Enfjaar

Enfjaar boasts a similar profile to former stablemate Without A Fight, who completed the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double in 2023, and Roger Varian's six-year-old arrives in Australia following a significant breakthrough over a longer distance.

While Without A Fight was particularly effective over 2800m, Enfjaar had spent much of his career competing around 2000m before stepping up to 2400m for the first time at Glorious Goodwood, where the change in distance brought about a career-best performance.

Ridden positively by Ray Dawson, Enfjaar made all the running to defeat favourite Opportunity and multiple Group 2 winner Al Aasy, producing the sort of commanding display that suggests he could prove a serious factor against Saturday's Caulfield Cup opposition.

Dawson makes the trip to Australia to continue his association with the gelding, and barrier one looks ideal given five of the past six Caulfield Cup winners jumped from barrier eight or lower, while I suspect the Melbourne Cup distance may stretch Enfjaar's stamina but Saturday's conditions look perfectly suited to a horse I fancy can outrun his double-figure odds.

Starford

Joseph O'Brien has assembled a strong contingent of European runners for this year's Melbourne Cup, but Starford is the only representative he has elected to send into Saturday's Caulfield Cup, with the gelding looking to recapture the form that brought him Group 3 success earlier in the season.

That victory came at the Curragh before Starford stepped into stronger company in the Huxley Stakes at Chester, where Dylan Browne McMonagle's mount was beaten four lengths by Lambourn in a performance that provided a useful indication of his standing against higher-class opposition.

There was less encouragement in his latest appearance at Roscommon, where Starford was heavily supported into 10/11 favouritism but struggled to make an impression, eventually finishing six lengths behind Bosphorus Rose in a disappointing effort.

Much of Starford's strongest form has come on very soft ground, and with the gelding yet to win over 2400m and now facing a difficult assignment from barrier 15, conditions appear far less favourable than those facing the other European challengers, making him difficult to recommend on Saturday.

Verdict

Caulfield Cup

Jon Vine's selection for the 2026 Caulfield Cup:

Enfjaar

Each Way

$13.00 - 5 Units

Same Race Multi & Instant Deposit

Referral Code: BETS

For South Australian residents, Bet Right's gambling operations are governed by the South Australian Gambling. 18+ Think! About your choices. Don't let the game play you. Stay in control. Gamble responsibly and remember never allow minors to gamble. Call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858.

Bet at Bet Right