Meydaan has a spin ahead of the 2025 Caulfield Cup

International contender Meydaan has passed his first Australian test with flying colours after a solid hit-out at Caulfield ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Travelling foreman Paul Holley, who has accompanied the Simon and Ed Crisford stable on each of their three Melbourne campaigns, partnered the gelding for a searching gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning and confirmed the five-year-old handled the turns well.

“There was a bird, and he had a good look at that down the back, but over the last 600 metres I let him stride on a little bit and I was pleased with him, and he galloped out well,” Holley said. “He might be better on more of a galloping track like Flemington, but he’s run around Goodwood which is an undulating course. All his best runs have been at Goodwood, but I think Caulfield will be OK for him, but I think Flemington would be better again, as Caulfield you are turning all the time. Fingers crossed, we’re ready to go.”

Holley said the gelding had regained any weight lost during the long trip from the UK and had adapted quickly to his new surroundings. “He’s not leaving an oat,” Holley said. “He’s travelled over well and his recovery has been excellent.”

Meydaan, rated the $8 second favourite behind Half Yours ($2.50), will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni and is expected to settle midfield in the early stages of the Cup. The Crisford team are chasing redemption after near misses in previous Melbourne campaigns with West Wind Blows and Without A Fight — the latter famously going on to win both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups last year for the Freedman stable.

Holley believes Meydaan could follow a similar trajectory. “I think this horse is going to keep on improving,” he said. “As a younger horse he was doing it the wrong way around. He was too keen early on, but since he’s been gelded, he’s learning to race properly now, and we’ve got the best of him to come, I think.”

The final Caulfield Cup field and barrier draw will be finalised on Wednesday, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated contests of the spring. For updated markets and odds, punters can visit Australia’s best betting sites.