Aft Cabin on track for Guineas

Six-length Sandown maiden winner Aft Cabin will be looking to bounce back into the winner’s circle at Caulfield on Saturday, as his preparations for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas next month intensify.

The three-year-old colt had his final gallop on the Caulfield course proper on Tuesday morning ahead of Saturday’s G3 Prelude (1400m) and Sportsbet’s $2 favourite, according to Godolphin senior foreman Sean Keogh, was impressive.

“It was nice work, it was a nice gallop they went,” Keogh said.

“Final gallop was nice, looks like we’ll be going ahead with Saturday, the track was a touch on the Soft side this morning, which he seemed to handle fine, and we imagine he could be a better horse on top of the ground too.

“Jamie (Kah) got a nice feel of him, so we’re very happy.”

The fourth favourite ($8) for the Caulfield Guineas beat all bar Jacquinot in the G3 McNeil Stakes over 1200m last start and Keogh says natural progression has brought the young colt forward in the weeks since.

“The McNeil was only his third career start, drastic rise in grade and he was only touched up by a well-performed horse in Jacquinot, I think natural improvement has progressed with this horse,” he said.

“We’re very happy with the way he’s continued on in his training from that run in the McNeil.”

Aft Cabin galloped alongside stablemate Renosu, who runs in Saturday’s three-year-old plate after being sent down from Godolphin’s Sydney stable.

“We had Craig (Williams) lead up the gallop on Renosu, last-start winner in Sydney, he came down and we scratched him on the weekend, the track got a little bit soft for him,” Keogh said.