Ingratiating heads back to Caulfield to contest the Schillaci Stakes

Caulfield has been happy hunting ground for Godolphin sprinter Ingratiating and trainer James Cummings is expecting it to be so again.

Ingratiating heads back to Caulfield on Saturday to contest the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m).

The now five-year-old sprinter has been to Caulfield on 10 occasions, registering three of his five career wins at the track along with four minor placings.

Ingratiating’s two other victories have come at Flemington as a two-year-old.

The Godolphin sprinter won the Vain Stakes at Caulfield as a three-year-old while he won an 1100m handicap in September last year before running second to stablemate Paulele in the Schillaci Stakes.

Ingratiating won the Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) in July just before season’s end under Blake Shinn and at his most recent outing at Caulfield finished third behind the speedy mare Asfoora in The Heath 1100 on September 2.

Asfoora, again an opponent on Saturday, followed that performance with a game second to Imperatriz in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 29.

Since his last start, Ingratiating has returned to the Godolphin training base at Osborne Park to freshen up and was given an easy trial at Rosehill before making his return to Melbourne.

Cummings is looking forward to seeing Ingratiating again race at Caulfield.

“He seems to love Caulfield and he’s got a very similar set-up as to his Bletchingly Stakes win,” Cummings said.

“He’s got the low draw, the similar field size and the same jockey.

“He goes down to Melbourne with a good skin on him. He looked very well when he left on the float on Wednesday.

“It’s another good test for him because there are some horses there with excellent form lines, so it will be interesting to see how Ingratiating’s form is going to stack up against them.”