Race overview
Big changes for the 2024 All-Star Mile at Caulfield! No public vote this year. Instead, 12 top horses earned their spots through qualifying races or wildcard picks. Defending champ Mr Brightside is back to battle it out with Pride Of Jenni, plus a challenger from New Zealand, Puntura. It’s a $4 million race featuring the best middle-distance horses from Australia and New Zealand!

• Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
• Location: Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne
• Distance: 1600 meters
• Conditions: Weight-For-Age (WFA)
• Status: Group 1 race
• Prize Money: $4,000,000

Runner by runner preview

1. Mr Brightside (11) – the victor of the Futurity Stakes, enters the fray as a formidable contender. Today marks his third-up appearance, a phase in which he has tasted victory before. His debut this season saw him emerge as the favourite, manoeuvring skilfully from midfield to clinch victory by a mere nose at this very track in the esteemed G1 C F Orr, covering 1400m while carrying 59kg, all at the low odds of $1.90. Subsequently, in his second outing from a spell, he reaffirmed his prowess by triumphing in the G1 Futurity Stakes over the same distance, defeating Pericles with a comfortable margin of 1.5 lengths, again carrying 59kg, this time as the favorite at $1.50. A star performer, Mr Brightside is poised to shine even brighter as the race extends to a mile. Undoubtedly, he stands out as the horse to beat.

2. Cascadian (7) – the conqueror of the Australian Cup, makes his presence felt as he steps onto the field for his third-up appearance, a phase where he has previously tasted success. His return to the track saw him finish at the tail end of the pack, securing the last spot among 9 contenders in the G2 Apollo at Randwick over 1400m on a slow track, trailing by 5.5 lengths behind Fangirl, carrying 59kg, at odds of $16. However, he showcased resilience in his subsequent outing, rallying impressively from the rear to secure 4th place out of 8 participants in the G1 V Elleegant at Randwick over 1600m on a slow track, trailing by a mere 3 lengths behind Think It Over, carrying 59kg, at odds of $21. Cascadian’s form is on the ascent, and he is anticipated to thrive amidst a brisk tempo.

3. Attractable (2) – a Group 2 placegetter, presents a dual acceptance scenario as he enters his second-up appearance. In his return to racing after a two-month hiatus, he faltered in the straight, finishing second to last among 9 contenders in the G2 Apollo at Randwick over 1400m on a slow track, trailing by 4 lengths behind Fangirl, carrying 59kg, at odds of $9. However, in his previous second-up outing, he exhibited strength, securing victory by a margin of 1.2 lengths in the Big Dance at Randwick over 1600m on November 7, defeating Cepheus, carrying 56.5kg, at odds of $19. Attractable is likely to endure and contend for a place finish.

4. Munhamek (10) – a Group 3 titleholder, faces an uphill battle in the upcoming race. In his recent performance, he found himself trailing early on, finishing 6th out of 8 participants at this track in the G1 Futurity Stakes over 1400m on February 24, trailing by 4 lengths behind Mr Brightside, carrying 59kg, at odds of $41. Preceding that, he secured the 7th position out of 9 contenders at this track in the G1 C F Orr over 1400m on February 10, trailing by 4.5 lengths behind Mr Brightside, carrying 59kg, at odds of $21. Munhamek’s current form suggests that he is unlikely to feature prominently in the upcoming race.

5. Dom To Shoot (12) – victor of the Northerly Stakes, steps into the arena for his second outing. Returning to action after a two-month hiatus, he showcased a commendable performance in his first-up run, maintaining pace with the leaders and displaying steady resolve to finish 4th out of 8 contenders at this very track in the G1 Futurity Stakes over 1400m on February 24. He trailed by a distance of 3 lengths behind Mr Brightside, carrying 59kg, with odds set at $26. In his prior second-up appearance, he demonstrated significant progress, surging from the back of the pack to secure 3rd place out of 16 competitors at Ascot in the G1 Railway on November 25 over 1600m. He finished 1.5 lengths behind Bustler, carrying 54kg, at odds of $21. With improved fitness, Dom To Shoot presents a strong chance of placing.

6. Buffalo River (9) – a contender with multiple Group 1 placings to his name, showcased consistent performance in his recent outings. In his most recent run, he maintained his position well, crossing the line in 3rd place out of 8 contenders at this track in the G1 Futurity Stakes over 1400m on February 24. He trailed Mr Brightside by a margin of 2.75 lengths while carrying 59kg, with odds at $11. Similarly, in his preceding race, he demonstrated resilience, finishing 3rd out of 9 contenders at this track in the G1 C F Orr over 1400m on February 10. He was narrowly defeated by Mr Brightside, with a neck separating them, carrying 59kg, at odds of $61. However, the distance of this race may not be most favourable for Buffalo River compared to others in the field.

7. Pinstriped (1) – a Group 2 victor, returns from a spell for this contest. In his previous campaign, he concluded with a 11th place finish out of 11 contenders at Flemington in the G1 Mackinnon on November 11 over 2000m, trailing by 5.5 lengths behind Atishu, carrying 59kg, with odds at $81. His return to action saw him secure 2nd place out of 14 contenders at this track in the G2 Lawrence Stakes on August 19 over 1400m, trailing by 1.75 lengths behind Mr Brightside, carrying 59kg, with odds at $6. Although Pinstriped possesses promise, the challenge presented by this race is considerable.

8. Desert Lightning (8) – the winner of the Captain Cook Stakes, boasts recent form that speaks volumes. In his last outing, he secured 3rd place out of 10 contenders at Otaki in the G1 Wfa Classic on February 24 over 1600m, traversing a slow track and finishing 3 lengths behind La Crique, carrying 59kg, with odds at $2.30. Prior to that, he emerged as the favorite and maintained a steady pace throughout the race, eventually winning by a margin of 1.75 lengths at Ellerslie in the Aetaroa Classic on January 27 over 1600m. Desert Lightning’s strong performance in New Zealand suggests he’s a solid contender for a place finish in this race.

9. Ayrton (5) – a victor in multiple Group 3 contests, showcased his prowess in his recent outing. Finishing 3rd out of 14 contenders at Flemington in the G2 Blamey on March 2 over 1600m, he trailed by a mere length behind Atishu while carrying 56kg, with odds at $7. Prior to that, he maintained a steady pace while positioned near the front, securing 5th place out of 9 contenders at this track in the G1 C F Orr on February 10 over 1400m. In this race, he finished 2.75 lengths behind Mr Brightside, carrying 59kg, at odds of $19. While he demonstrated competitiveness in his recent run, his suitability for this particular challenge remains uncertain.

10. Puntura (4) – the victor of the Thorndon Mile, endured a challenging outing in his latest race. Finishing second to last out of 10 contenders at Otaki in the G1 Wfa Classic on February 24 over 1600m on a slow track, he trailed by a significant margin of 9 lengths behind La Crique, carrying 59kg, with odds at $4.30. However, in his prior race, he emerged triumphant by a margin of 1.3 lengths at Trentham in the G1 Thorndon Mile on January 20 over 1600m in soft conditions, defeating El Vencedor while carrying 57kg, with odds at $5.30. Puntura faced a thorough examination in his recent performance.

11. Holymanz (3) – a contender with a Group 2 placing to his credit, delivered a commendable performance in his last outing. Securing 2nd place out of 14 contenders at Flemington in the G2 Blamey on March 2 over 1600m, he trailed by a narrow margin of 0.8 lengths behind Atishu while carrying 56kg, with odds at $12. Before that, he made steady progress from midfield, finishing 4th out of 13 contenders at Ellerslie in the Aetaroa Classic on January 27 over 1600m. In that race, he trailed Desert Lightning by 10 lengths while carrying 57.5kg, with odds at $15.50. Holymanz would need to achieve a significant performance peak to contend in this race.

12. Pride Of Jenni (6) – triumphant in the Champions Mile, enters the fray for her second-up appearance. Returning to action after a three-month hiatus, she led the field for much of the race before being narrowly overtaken late, finishing 2nd out of 9 contenders at this track in the G1 C F Orr on February 10 over 1400m, trailing Mr Brightside by a nose while carrying 57kg, with odds at $9. Previously, in her second-up race, she finished 2nd out of 10 contenders at Moonee Valley in the G2 Stocks on September 29 over 1600m, trailing Amelia’s Jewel by 0.8 lengths while carrying 57kg, with odds at $15. Pride Of Jenni possesses the capability to deliver an impressive performance and is expected to be a significant contender in this race.


Tips

MR BRIGHTSIDE (1): The defending champion comes in hot, undefeated in two starts this prep including a win here at Caulfield. He’s won 16 of 31 career races and is the one to beat. PRIDE OF JENNI (12): This year’s Champions Mile winner put in a strong showing last race at Caulfield, finishing a close second. Look for another bold performance. ATTRACTABLE (3): Often performs well in his second race after a break, so expect improvement after his eighth-place finish at Randwick. Could be a contender. AYRTON (9): Came close last time at Flemington, only beaten by a length. He’s a threat to challenge for a place in the finish. CASCADIAN (2): The Australian Cup winner showed some signs of improvement last start on soft ground. While not expected to win, he shouldn’t be completely discounted.