Quality and quantity for Caduceus Club Classic this Friday

A capacity field's been confirmed for one of the country's top races for the two-year-old pacing fillies, at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The Group 1 Caduceus Club Classic (8.24pm) has had its stakes upgraded to $107,500 after a late payment was accepted from the connections of Beetastic, following her win in the Captain Crunch at Alabar Mobile Pace at Alexandra Park last Friday

Trained by Peter and Vaughan Blanchard, Beetastic's win followed a third on debut behind Always Be Mattie.

A total of 14 runners, including one emergency, have made the cut for the Group 1 which dates back to the mid 1980s.

"We are absolutely thrilled with this line-up," says NZ Sires' Stakes Executive Martin Pierson, "to get these numbers and the quality is very satisfying. It should be a top race."

Drawn one over the 2200 metres, Without You is the sole runner from the Mark and Nathan Purdon stables. She will again be driven by Mark Purdon who will be gunning for his seventh driving success in the race. He has also trained or co-trained other victors including Amazing Dream (driven by Natalie Rasmussen) and Bettor Twist (Tim Williams).

Numerically it's the Steve and Amanda Telfer barn that dominates. Among their seven runners (including one emergency) are Always B Misty and Music Mistress.

Last year the race was won by Coastal Babe and by the now retired Millwood Nike in 2022

Named after one of the country's great racehorses, the Caduceus Club has been around since the 1980s and is currently undergoing a renaissance thanks to the Auckland Trotting Club and the New Zealand Sires' Stakes Board.

To read more about the Caduceus Club click here

To see Friday's field click here