Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day preview

A crack program of thoroughbred action will be seen by all concerned at Caulfield this Sunday with Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day.

The $400,00 Group 1 feature, run over 1400m, has attracted a quality field of 14, headed by multiple Group 1 winner Dissident, who is aiming for three straight majors. The last horse to do that during the Spring was Ocean Park in 2012, so it won’t be an easy feat for the local.

I was hugely impressed by Dissident in the Makybe Diva, but given his big aim is the Caulfield Stakes, I am steering clear of him here.

I have been very impressed by the way Sweet Idea has gone about it this Spring. She trialled brilliantly then backed it up with a tough first up win in the Missile before running in the Memsie and giving her all when second to Dissident, the in-form galloper this season.

Her recent jumpout at Flemington was out of this world, then was sizzling in trackwork on Monday at the Valley. Can’t see her copping too much pressure in front, so she looks the one to beat for mine.

Trust In A Gust has been racing so well for a while now that he deserves a crack at Group l level and he finds a great race to test out just how good he is. He had no luck in his first two runs this time in, but he did win fresh and was beat by the bob of the head at his next outing. He then ran last week here and just absolutely brained them, running slick time. Tumbles down to 52kg, maps so well outside Sweet Idea, and he doesn’t mind getting dirty when it matters.

Cluster was one of the wins of the afternoon on Golden Rose Day at Rosehill when winning the Theo Marks given he was last in the run, last on the turn and they hadn’t gone hard in front.

He has been up since June, with a couple of freshen ups in between, but is racing with class and quality at the moment, and was outstanding in trackwork during the week. Massive chance.

Selections
Sweet Idea (3) on top, to beat Trust In A Gust (13), Cluster (7) and Atlante (6), who was impressive when winning fresh at the Valley.

Bring Me The Maid is looking to bounce back in the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) after her luckless Golden Rose performance. She kicked off her Spring with a dominant win in the Silver Shadow at Randwick, then was sent around as top pick in betting for the Golden Rose where she didn’t have a great deal of luck in the straight.

Should have finished closer, but I doubt she would have won given the fast lane was out wide. Comes back to Melbourne, own age and sex, good gate, looks the winner.

Lumosty was very good first up down the straight when a narrow second to Afleet Esprit. She got slightly held up between runners at a vital stage, then wanted to dart back to the fence and that just cost her victory in my opinion.

Will appreciate racing around a bend now second up, and looked very sharp in a Cranbourne trial on Monday, indicating she is ready to fire.

I think Pickin’ Time, potentially, is the best filly in the race, but she has no idea what the racing game is all about, as we saw last week over this track/distance when second to Thinking Of You.

She cruised up on the turn, but she didn’t know how to finish the race off and was all over the shop in the straight. She can storm over the top and beat these without surprising me.

Selections
Pretty confident Bring Me The Maid (1) can win, ahead of Lumosty (6), big watch on Pickin’ Time (10). Next best is Traveston Girl (8).

Rich Enuff will have to be every bit as good as what he has shown if he is to win the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) given he has drawn barrier 18. He is a quality animal, but I doubt he can do it from there.

Looks Like The Cat was superb at his first run away from Queensland when second to Rich Enuff in the Danehill, making up a stack of ground late and beating the rest with ease. Extra distance definitely suits, as does coming back to racing around a bend, along with added fitness, he looks the one to beat.

The step up to 1400 metres will also be really beneficial for Awesome Rock, who also attacked the line with purpose in the Danehill, but was no match for the first two. What brings him right into the mix here is the good gate. He can sit much closer to the speed and not spend as much petrol, and he may have a head start on the top tip.

Merion was very good in winning the Living Legends at Flemington over this distance, beating home Chivalry in a thrilling finish, and that colt will go around as a leading player on Friday night in the Bill Stutt, so by race time here, you’ll know how strong that form is, but you had to like the way he toughed it out, because he was there to be beaten, but he wouldn’t give it up, and that’s a very good sign for an early three year old.

Selections
The Queenslander coming out in me by putting Looks Like The Cat (8) on top, to beat Awesome Rock (10) and Merion (4). Libertation (12) could blow these away and win by a space, but he cannot be trusted.

The meeting concludes with the Testa Rossa Stakes (1200m), and gee it shapes up to be a beauty.

Well if you backed Vain Queen last time out here in the Heath, it was very ugly to watch and it wasn’t one of Craig Williams’ best rides. She didn’t have a great deal of luck too it has to be said in the run, but the steer wasn’t flash. Fitter, extra 100m looks ideal and a jockey who has had success on her and knows her well, Tom Sadler, takes over the steering. One to beat for mine in a really good race with plenty of depth and class.

Lion of Belfort wasn’t too bad I thought when he resumed with a fifth to Atlante at the Valley. He got cluttered away near the fence and never really got a decent crack to sprint, and given he was first up since February, he was never going to win with that situation. Back to his home track now, Nick Hall sticks and will appreciate a hot speed, which he’ll get here.

Target In Sight surprised many with his electric first up win over 1000 metres at Randwick, then stayed at that distance in the Concorde and was simply run off his legs in the mud, tailing out early on before savaging the line in the last 100m when seventh to Wouldn’t It Be Nice. 1200 metres is a definite plus, as is a firm track, and as is the case with the Big Danger, a good tempo will be right up his alley.

Selections
Vain Queen (10) in a really good race, ahead of Lion Of Belfort (12) and Target In Sight (13). Next best is Territory (7).