Caulfield Cup 2023 LIVE updates: Punters head to Caulfield racecourse as spring carnival continues

Top jockey Jamie Kah is all too aware of the historical hurdle she faces when piloting Valiant King out of barrier one in the $5 million Caulfield Cup.

No horse has won the race from the inside gate since barrier stalls were introduced at Caulfield in 1947.

Valiant King arrives for The Spring Racing Carnival at Tullamarine Airport.Credit: Racing Photos/Getty Images

Adding to the challenge, Kah has never previously ridden the Joseph O’Brien-trained stayer she hopes to lead to Group 1 glory in the 2400m spring feature.

“It’s not my favourite gate but it’s better than drawing out wide, I guess,” Kah said after the lottery.

“He’s a pretty easy, simple horse – it looks like – to ride. So hopefully we’ll get a nice run early.

“We’re going to have to find some luck later on though.”

Lightly raced with just seven previous starts, Valiant King saluted at his only previous jump from an inside gate – at Navan in Ireland back in May.

The grey stallion has been a noticeable mover in the TAB market, slashed from $21 to $10 on Friday.

Despite Kah’s reservations about the draw, she has found an unlikely ally in rival jockey John Allen, who will pilot the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Duke De Sessa ($31).

“It’s a very open race, there’s some good chances. I actually like Joseph O’Brien’s Valiant King,” Allen told AAP.

“I really liked a couple of his runs and he was a little disappointing in his last start at Leopardstown (in Ireland) but he’s getting in very well at the weight (50kg).

“Soulcombe is a chance and Gold Trip has been flying.

“Any of those horses in the top five or six in the market are all in with a very good chance.”

Maher and Eustace’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip ($6) remains favourite for Saturday’s race, with Chris Waller’s Soulcombe and Simon and Ed Crisford’s West Wind Blows (both $6.50) on the second line of betting.

Gold Trip carries the top weight of 58.5kg out of barrier 11 – the same alley he jumped from when second last year to Waller’s Durston.

AAP