The Melbourne spring carnival is clicking into gear nicely, and this Saturday Caulfield hosts the Rupert Clarke Stakes as the feature Group 1 of the day.
This handicap is a time-honoured race over 1400m that is often used as a platform for future glory for early four-year-olds, or otherwise as the pinnacle achievement for a five or six-year-olds that aren’t quite weight-for-age horses.
This year’s edition is a fascinating one, with the 15-horse field having their last start in at least 12 different races. How to compare such contrasting formlines will be the task set for punters.
Godolphin’s Home of the Brave is the favourite in an open market after he beat a good field in the Theo Marks last start, leading all the way on a heavy 10 and never giving anything else a chance. He’ll likely not get the same easy time in front here, and the track will be good, but he is a 1400m specialist.
Stablemate Osborne Bulls is also a key player, having progressed through his grades in the old-fashioned way after debuting as a very late three-year-old. He had a very good first-up win in the Regal Roller Stakes over Land of Plenty, who has since won himself, and that horse is the one upon which most form revolves in this race.
Osborne Bulls shapes a sprinter-miler that will be running in better races than this over the next couple of years, with a lovely turn of foot, and the middle barrier is perfect for him.
Godolphin has a third runner, international visitor Jungle Cat, who will carry top weight after three successive wins in Dubai culminating in a Group 1 triumph. He hasn’t been seen since March, but we have seen overseas gallopers produce here first-up in the past.
As mentioned earlier, Land of Plenty is a key runner here. He’s won four races this year and has beaten a number of his rivals here in doing so. He’ll probably be forced right back to the tail from a wide gate, but that may suit if the speed is on and he can wind up late.
Oregon’s Day was fifth in the Regal Roller when Osborne Bulls and Land of Plenty quinellaed the race and should be kept in mind for all multiples. She was beaten 1.8 lengths and meets them both 2kg’s better for the experience.
Her second-up run in the Memsie would surely almost win this, and carrying 53kg will be a luxury for her when she has had 57kg or more at her last five starts.
Peaceful State is another coming through the Land of Plenty formline that must be given every hope. Remember, he ran second to Grunt in the Australian Guineas in the autumn and meets Land of Plenty 1.5kgs better for running him to half a length first-up.
He looks the best-weighted horse in the race, and whatever he does here, he’ll do even better in the Toorak.
There are plenty of chances at bigger odds too, most of which can win if things go their way. It’s that kind of race.
Showtime is a proven weight-for-age performer who won at this course and distance two back when taking out the Lawrence Stakes. He’ll be sure to have admirers back to handicap conditions.
Lite’n In My Veins was second behind one of the big spruik horses Night’s Watch first-up and was close to Land of Plenty in Adelaide earlier in the year, so his form ties in. He’ll jump from the car park though.
Fastnet Tempest comes out of the same lead-up and drops 5.5kg out of it. He won the Anniversary Vase over the Caulfield 1400m in the spring and has ability.
Mr Sneaky ran second in this race last year and has been building to a win in his two runs back with this race a clear target. He’s another that will appreciate a weight drop here but has been struck by a wide draw.
(AAP Image/Mal Fairclough)
Hellova Street is a hardy Tasmanian with great distance and first-up stats who will press forward and deserves his Group 1 chance. Sovereign Nation is one of those Hayes horses that mixes his form, so who knows what he will produce, but he has run top four in Group 1 races three times.
Dollar for Dollar is a South Australian on the quick back-up; he’ll cross from out wide and will ensure the race is run at a genuine tempo. Miss Gunpowder is a perennial 1400m mare and can make her presence felt from a box seat position.
Holy Snow came up as first emergency but is in the field after the scratching of Widgee Turf. He’s always around the mark in pretty good races and is another in a long line of chances to finish in the money.
There are enough leaders and go-forward horses in a capacity field to ensure the tempo should at least be genuine, and it won’t be a surprise if they go along a bit harder than that.
Selections
1. Oregon’s Day
2. Osborne Bulls
3. Peaceful State
4. Land of Plenty
On the supporting card, we see the two-year-old star, dominant Blue Diamond winner Written By. It’s always exciting to see how they come up as three-year-olds.
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