SIR RUPERT CLARKE STAKES
1400m, $500,000, handicap, run at Caulfield
HISTORY
* First run in 1951 when won by Jovial Lad
* Run as an invitational race from 1951 to 1974 for invited jockeys
* Group One from 1979
NOTABLE WINNERS
* Torbek (1980); Magari (1982); Canny Lass (1986); Mannerism (1992); Poetic King (1994); Encosta De Lago (1996); Testa Rossa (1999-2000); Exceed And Excel (2003); Regal Roller (2004); Toorak Toff (2011); Santa Ana Lane (2017); Jungle Cat (2018)
TALKING POINTS
* Jockey Craig Williams can equal Damien Oliver’s record of six wins in the race when he rides one of the leading contenders Amphitrite
* Iconoclasm will attempt to emulate his sire Toorak Toff who won the race in 2011
* Lindsay Park last won the race in 2006 with Rewaaya for David Hayes. Lindsay Park will be represented by So Si Bon, Fastnet Tempest and Amphitrite
* Ciaron Maher won in 2016 with Bon Aurum and now in partnership with David Eustace has Cliff’s Edge and Spirit Of Valor engaged
* Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra scored with Response in 2010 and has Act Of Chivalry running on Saturday
* Jockey Dean Yendall won aboard Santa Ana Lane in 2017 and rides topweight Best Of Days for Godolphin
WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:
“I think everything has gone exactly to plan. He won the Regal Roller first-up and got the rating up and then he had a good solid run second-up with three weeks into this. It’s his second run at 1400 for the prep, third-up he’s as fit as he’s going to be and peaking for his grand final” – trainer Daniel Bowman on Begood Toya Mother
“He is a dual Group One winner at a mile so that sort of horse should be capable of running a good 1400 metres fresh” – Madison County’s co-trainer Andrew Forsman
“He worked fine this morning (Tuesday), so he’ll run around on Saturday and we’ll see how he goes” – trainer Lindsey Smith on Black Heart Bart
“I think on Saturday we will really learn whether he does run a strong 1400 metres or whether we bring him back to the sprint trips as he’s obviously a Group One winner at 1200” – Despatch’s co-trainer Calvin McEvoy
“I’m not a big one for spruiking trackwork, but her work earlier in the week at the farm was excellent” – Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig on Amphitrite
Credit: AAP