It is shaping up as a wide open edition of the 2014 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse on Sunday with narrow favourite in the markets on the 14 horse field being the Peter Moody-trained Dissident.
Dissident is narrow favourite to win Sunday's 2014 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
A winner of back-to-back Group 1 wins in Melbourne this time in to take his elite level tally up to three, the Sebring four-year-old pays $5 through Ladbrokes.com.au to make it a hat-trick for the season in the $400,000 Group 1 Bendigo Bank East Malvern Sir Rupert Clarke Charity Cup (1400m).
Drawn ideally in barrier five with Luke Nolen staying on, Dissident carries the 58kg top weight which is half a kilo less than he’s carried to victory in both the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) here at Caulfield and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) since resuming.
The 1400m is a distance the star has twice won over from three starts with Moody looking to see whether he’ll be suited to more distance with the $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 in mind.
He currently sits top of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes odds and that’s been a nice position in recent years statistically with the past two favourites saluting for the punters with Rebel Dane (2013) and Moment Of Change (2012).
As mentioned it’s a super tight betting battle for the handicap clash with five other single figure hopes:
- #3 Sweet Idea ($8) – Tough Gai Waterhouse-trained mare nailed them first-up in the Missile and then lost few admires when second to Dissident in the Memsie Stakes last time out. Has great lead-up form for the Sir Rupert then and will appreciate getting back to handicap conditions where she carries 53.5kg compared to the 56.5kg she’s lumped at her last two runs.
- #11 Bull Point ($8) – Now with Chris Waller this former Waterhouse runner gets in on the 52kg minimum which is a kilo under his weight a fortnight ago at Rosehill when runner-up to Cluster in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes over 1400m. Has won at Caulfield once before and is a dual runner-up from four starts at the distance but barrier 10 could be tricky and think there’s better value elsewhere.
- #5 A Time For Julia ($9) – Moody’s other runner has come up trumps with the inside alley that has produced two previous winners in the past 31 years. Glen Boss rides the daughter of Redoute’s Choice whose form is around mares with a Cockram Stakes second to Gregers and a second in the How Now Stakes to Girl Guide last Saturday.
- #13 Trust In A Gust ($9) – Darren Weir-trained Keep The Faith stallion caught the eye at the track and distance last weekend when beating Lucky Hussler by two and a quarter lengths in a handicap carrying 55.5kg with Brad Rawiller in the saddle. Before that was second to Atlante in a Listed race over 1200m at Moonee Valley. Damian Lane rode him that day and is back aboard on 52kg from barrier nine for the acid test on Sunday.
Outside of the top six are then a host of other livewire chances at juicy odds with genuine claims for an upset Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes result.
Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes’ first-up Drummond Golf Stakes winner Atlante ($10) is next best in betting followed by the Colin Scott-trained Speediness ($12) who will be getting back from barrier 12, Group 3 winner Sistine Demon ($12) who is undefeated from two previous runs at this track and distance, and Late Charge ($13) in barrier two and coming off back-to-back wins this campaign.
See below for the latest Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes 2014 odds, fixed win prices open online now at Ladbrokes.com.au who will be opening their exclusive Best Tote or SP + 20% markets on your winnings on the Caulfield major shortly!
