Tough Caulfield Cup barrier draw for Japanese visitor

A third win by a Japanese-trained galloper in the Caulfield Cup has been made a little tougher with Warp Speed drawing wide in the Group 1 handicap.

Warp Speed will have to overcome barrier 19 – he will jump from gate 16 if the three emergencies do not gain a start – in the 2400m handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Noboru Takagi-trained galloper, who will be ridden by Akira Sugawara, is aiming to follow the victories of Admire Rakti (2014) and Mer De Glace (2019) in the Caulfield Cup.

Kosi Kawakami, who doubles as Warp Speed’s track rider and interpreter for the connections of the entire, took to the Caulfield track on Tuesday morning for a familiarisation gallop.

“It was his first time going around Caulfield, which is a bit of a tricky course than what he is used to running on in Japan, but he handled it really well,” Kawakami said.

“He behaved really well. He’s usually really tricky and a difficult horse to deal with, but he was really calm and professional today and switched on.

“I was really happy with that and happy with where he is at, at the moment.”

Compared to the tracks Warp Speed has raced on back in Japan, Kawakami said the Caulfield circuit was not ideal for the Cup contender.

Kawakami said the roomier Flemington track and the extra distance of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5 may be more advantageous for the entire.

“This is not ideal, the shape of the course,” Kawakami said.

“He is a dead-set stayer and will like the extra distance, but he has won over the 2400 metres against a quality Japanese field in the past.

“If the race pans out, I’m sure he will run a very big race, but he is likely to appreciate the bigger Flemington track and the more distance.”

Kawakami said Warp Speed had improved his fitness levels with each gallop since arriving in Australia last month.

But connections do not want the forecast rain, predicted to be as much as 15mm on Friday, to eventuate.

“Trainer Mr Takagi would prefer to race on the dry, on fast ground like in Japan,” Kawakami said.

“But I’m sure the way the horse has been, he will handle some give in the ground, and he has the strength to get through the soft ground.”