Blind Raise strengthened his credentials for the Caulfield Guineas with a dominant victory in the A$300,000 Group Three Sports Caulfield Guineas Prelude over 1400m at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday. The Karaka 2025 graduate produced his best performance of the campaign to secure a second consecutive stakes victory and improve his record to four wins from five starts.
Blind Raise was offered by The Oaks Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2025 and was purchased by trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young for $70,000. The son of Ace High had earned A$440,475 in stakes after another significant performance at black-type level. He had established his credentials as a two-year-old with victory in the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes over 1400m before returning this preparation with success in the Listed McKenzie Stakes over 1300m at Sandown on September 5.
Blind Raise Caulfield Guineas Credentials Strengthened
Ridden by Blake Shinn, Blind Raise overcame a wide run and a changing race shape before producing a powerful finishing effort. The three-year-old remained composed despite the pressure during the middle stages and responded strongly when the field accelerated, drawing clear in the straight to record a convincing Group Three victory.
The performance marked another step forward for Blind Raise, who had now recorded two wins from two starts as a three-year-old, both at black-type level. His latest success followed his Sandown victory and came only two weeks after his previous appearance, adding further significance to the effort.
Shinn highlighted the colt’s ability to settle during the race before producing his finishing acceleration. Blind Raise had resumed at Sandown after only one trial, and the short turnaround into the Caulfield Guineas Prelude had provided another test of his development and race fitness.
Busuttin had remained confident despite Blind Raise being forced to race wide. The stable had expected Alchemistic to lead, while American Eagle had helped keep Blind Raise positioned away from the rail. The trainer also noted that the colt had appeared much more relaxed before the Caulfield contest than he had during his first-up performance.
That composure proved important when the race changed complexion during the middle stages. Blind Raise travelled comfortably before producing the turn of foot required to settle the contest in the straight. His victory subsequently left him with three weeks between the Prelude and the Group One Caulfield Guineas.
The stable decided against giving Blind Raise another run before the feature. Busuttin confirmed that the colt would head directly into the Caulfield Guineas, while a possible progression towards the Group One Cox Plate over 2040m had also been considered for later in the spring.
Perfumist Adds Another NZB Graduate Success
The success of Blind Raise followed another notable result for a New Zealand-bred graduate when Perfumist won the A$250,000 Group Three Tibbie Stakes over 1400m at Newcastle on Friday. The Bjorn Baker-trained mare added another stakes victory to a career that had already included a strong three-year-old campaign.
Bred by Westbury Stud owner Gerry Harvey, Perfumist was offered through Westbury’s draft at the 2023 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. She was purchased by Bjorn Baker Racing, OTI, Phill Cataldo Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock for $190,000.
The Tibbie Stakes success took Perfumist’s record to eight wins and four second placings from 21 starts, with her earnings reaching A$854,158. She had made a strong impression during her three-year-old season in 2024-25 by winning four races consecutively before earning a trip to New Zealand for the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi over 1500m at Ellerslie in March 2025.
Perfumist finished fifth in that contest behind Damask Rose and Evaporate before returning to Australia. She subsequently continued her career under Baker, with the stable making adjustments to her preparation ahead of the Tibbie Stakes because of her previous first-up record.
She had been given an exhibition gallop and several strong pieces of work at home before Newcastle. An impressive recent effort on the Kensington track had also provided further evidence that she had been progressing well before the Group Three contest.
The mare’s next targets were expected to include the Group Two Angst Stakes before a possible appearance in the Big Dance over 1600m later in the year. An Epsom-to-Big Dance route had also been discussed as part of her spring programme.
Perfumist’s latest victory also created a timely connection with the 2026 NZB Ready to Run Sale. Westbury Stud was scheduled to offer a full-brother to the mare as Lot 66, adding another family connection to the upcoming auction. The 2026 Ready to Run Sale was scheduled for November 18 and 19 at the Karaka Sales Centre, with Breeze Ups scheduled for October 12 and 13 at Te Rapa Racecourse.
Blind Raise Caulfield Guineas credentials strengthened after the Karaka graduate recorded a second consecutive stakes victory in the Group Three Prelude at Caulfield Racecourse.
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