WHO:
Group 1 sprinters
WHAT:
1400-metre Weight-for-Age Group 1
WHEN:
18th September, 2021
WHERE:
Caulfield Racecourse
WHY:
To share a prize pool of $1,000,000
Who will win the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes?
The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is won by the horse who possesses a great sprint, but also the ability to sustain for longer than the usual 1200 metres.
It is race than can be won by short-course horses who possess hot early speed or a blistering turn of foot.
But, if run at a frantic speed, can open up the door for horses who appreciate a mile and beyond with their stamina coming to the fore late in the race.
History has shown that regardless of where you draw you are a winning chance.
In fact, drawing out deep on the track has actually figured quite fruitful with nearly half of the last 30 winners drawing barrier 10 to 18.
So if you have a horse that has drawn ‘poorly’ do not fear, as you can still find your way to a collect.
The winner of the race will usually come from the Memsie Stakes (1400m) run at Caulfield a handful of weeks prior or from the Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) run a fortnight ago at Flemington.
The last two winners of the race – Behemoth (2020 and Begood Toya Mother (2019) – won the Memsie Stakes prior to their Sir Rupert Clarke success.
THE EARLY CONTENDERS
He is a simply a star.
Purchased for a mere $5,000, the David Jolly-trained Behemoth has won just in excess of $3 million prize money.
The five-year-old gelding has become a 1400-metre specialist having won the Memsie Stakes/Sir Rupert Clarke double last year and then taking out the Memsie Stakes again in 2021.
Weight will not be an issue having smashed the weight-carrying record last year by lugging 60kgs to win running away from his rivals.
He will put himself in a handy spot, fight hard like he always does and attempt to become only the fourth horse in history to win the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on multiple occasions.
Probabeel is a gun mare from New Zealand who comes here for vying for another Group 1 on Australian soil.
She is now a five-year-old mare under the guidance of freak Kiwi trainer Jamie Richards and returned to our shores in fine fettle after winning the Group 3 Cockram (1200 metres).
Her 1400-metre Group 1 form is a up the mark in Australia after she won the Futurity Stakes (1400 metres) last year.
The only slight query is her ability to handle wet conditions which could come about closer to race day.
She has never won a soft or heavy rated track in her race career and that raises cause for concern should she hit a rain effected surface.
However, given the form she is in, we must consider her a genuine winning chance.
He will be the beneficiary of a nice weight drop in after almost running down Behemoth in the Memsie Stakes.
After carrying 58.5kgs to be beaten a narrow margin by his South Australian rival – who carried half a kilo more – he will now carry 4kgs less than he did in the Memsie for this Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
Another huge factor in his favour is hs ability to handle wet track should the rain come.
He has two wins from four starts on rain effected going with his most recent win being a three-length triumph in the Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
It is really hard to miss this horse with that eye-catching baldy face.
THe OTI-owned Im Thunderstruck has the makings of a genuine group horse following his last two starts in Saturday grade.
He trucked up to win the Morrison Handicap (1400 metres) at Flemington and a scored imrpessively in a three-year-old handicap event at Moonee Valley.
The gap between will not be too much of an issue thanks to a nice jump out that will keep him fit.
He gets in the on minimum with 52kgs and is well versed racing under handicap conditions.
Amish Boy is a serious headache for punters having only won one race in his 17-start career, but his form at group level justifies being run here.
The Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace-trained fouve-year-old stallion almost held on to defeat Group 1 winner Masked Crusader a fortnight ago.
He struck the lead in The Heath Stakes (1100metres) but was run down on the line to go under by hall-a-length.
He does all his best racing at 1200-1400 metres.
Owned by leviathan owner Ozzie Kheir, Sierra Sue has begun to find some consistent form through her last two months of racing.
The eventual winner of the Peter Lawrence Stakes, she was meant to run in the Memsie Stakes but copped a foot abscess which kept her out of the race.
She arguably should have won her way into the Cox Plate after being horribly held up in the Feehan Stakes.
The five-year-old mare trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young is another horse who can the handle a wet track on her day.
EARLY TIP – Beau Rossa win at $4.50
Sticking with the South Australian raider here.
The weight swing in his favour he gets over Behemoth for only being beaten now even a half length is too hard to ignore.
Add in the fact that this four-year-old gelding is adept at handling wet conditions should the rain arrive for race day then he is the one to be with.
THE FAMOUS WINNERS
2010-2020
Reigning Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes champion Behemoth stands out in this time having won the race with a weight impost of 60kgs.
The South Australian galloper broke the weight carrying record in the race and become a punters favourite after running down Tony McEvoy’s duo of Dollar for Dollar and Pretty Brazen.
Other winners of the race include Daniel Bowman’s first Group 1 success when Begood Toya Mother scored a front-running win in 2019.
Trust In A Gust (2014) and Stratum Star (2015) ensured trainer Darren Weir did the double with back-to-back victory in the race.
Gun sprinter Santa Ana Lane (2017) also found a way to win the race after running a quinella with stablemate Mr Sneaky.
Toorak Toff (2011) is also another famous name to have won the Sir Rupert Clark Stakes.
1999-2009
Breeding champion and gun thoroughbred Exceed and Excel found glory in the race in 2003.
Regal Roller (2004) followed up the year late to put his name on the Sir Rupert Clark Stakes honour roll too.
The beginning of this decade was left for Testa Rossa.
Donning the Italian colours, this champion race horse did what only three horses had done prior by winning the race more than once.
1988-1998
Mannerism (1992) and Encosta De Lago (1996) top the list for famous horses to have during this decade.
Ranch Ruler (1988), Submariner (1990), Black Rogue (1993) and Poetic King (1994) are also etched into SIr Ruper Clarke Stakes folklore.
Other winners
The inaugural winner of the event is Jovial Lad having won the race in 1951.
The most successful since the first running is a horse called St. Joel who won the race three times.
He won the race on three occasions with the first being in 1953, the second in 1956 and the third in 1959.
RECENT WINNERS
Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
2020 | Behemoth | David Jolly | Craig Williams | $3.7 |
2019 | Begood Toya Mother | Daniel Bowman | Declan Bates | $3 |
2018 | Jungle Cat | Charlie Appleby | James Doyle | $8 |
2017 | Santa Ana Lane | Anthony Freedman | Dean Yendall | $21 |
2016 | Bon Aurum | Ciaron Maher | Kerrin McEvoy | $6 |
2015 | Stratum Star | Darren Weir | Craig Williams | $7 |
2014 | Trust In A Gust | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | $6 |
2013 | Rebel Dane | Gary Portelli | Glen Boss | $2.8 |
2012 | Moment of Change | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | $2.5 |
2011 | Toorak Toff | Rick Hore-Lacy | Craig Williams | $8 |
2010 | Reponse | Matthew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Craig Williams | $4.8 |
How do I bet on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes?
Punch in betnation.com.au on your internet browser or download and open the Bet Nation application on your smart phone.
Find the racing futures markets and click on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes markets.
Here are all the main horses you can back to win the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
