Sir Rupert Clarke a date set for Lady Shenandoah

MELBOURNE – A prospect of race favourite Lady Shenandoah being scratched from the A$1 million (S$907,000) Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1,400m) at Caulfield has been avoided after the mare drew a favourable draw in the Group 1 feature.

Trainer Chris Waller had threatened to withdraw the three-time Group 1 winner and instead leave her in Sydney to race if she drew an outside barrier, but she will jump from gate 1.

“I’d like to see a good draw, it’s a long way to come if she’s going to draw wide,” said Waller. “She ran in the Manikato this time last year and had no luck from the wide draw.”

The Snitzel mare drew the extreme outside barrier in the 2025 Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1,200m) on Sept 26, 2025 and finished fourth at short odds when trapped wide.

The 16-time Sydney champion trainer has three of the runners in the 16-horse capacity field, and is hoping for a smoother run for Angel Capital, who was desperately unlucky not to win the 2025 edition of the race when fourth to the reopposing Sepals.

Conditions and race tactics are expected to favour Angel Capital, who needs a maiden Group 1 victory to enhance his value as a stallion prospect.

Waller was happy with the second-up performance of the son of Harry Angel in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1,400m) on Aug 29, when he finished 10th to Beiwacht, beaten around five-and-three-quarter lengths after jockey Ben Melham said the five-year-old over-raced and did not like the soft Caulfield track.

“Speed, good track, he’s ready to go,” said Waller of Saturday’s assignment. “His run in the Memsie was good, it was just tempo-related and soft track.

“He’s more tractable now and doing everything right. It looks like he’s got a good weight. Obviously, had no luck in it last year.

“I’ve been happy with his runs, and he should be ready to peak third-up on Saturday. We’ve got to win that Group 1, he was very unlucky in it last year.”

Waller’s other runner, Sun God, is rated as an outsider, but he said the former European-based Fastnet Rock galloper has excelled since being campaigned as a sprinter.

“He’s done nothing wrong since being in Australia. We actually learned he’s a sprinter not a stayer,” said Waller of the Listed Tatts Mile (1,600m) winner at Eagle Farm.

“Since he’s been trained that way, he’s been lethal fresh and putting a good record together.”

Tom Kitten is top weight with 59kg and is aiming for his fourth Group 1. He boasts a record of a win and a second from his three attempts at the track and distance.

Sam Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Anthony, admitted that the Harry Angel six-year-old did little in his first-up run when finishing 11th of 12 in the Memsie Stakes.

“He’ll have a big weight, but I think good speed will suit. First-up, he didn’t really have a run, so he’s still got some freshness in him,” said Freedman.

Former European galloper Warnie has gathered plenty of support after the Highland Reel six-year-old’s last-start Group 3 victory in the Chautauqua Stakes over 1,300m at Sandown.

Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said it was a dominant win.

“To see Warnie have a few lengths to make up, quicken the way he did, then ease down late, it was impressive,” he said.

Regal Award goes into the race first-up and Tommy Stokes, who trains in partnership with his father Phillip, believes the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1,400m) winner in Eagle Farm has his best chance of a maiden Group 1 success.

“Both trials have been super and he’ll go into next Saturday pretty cherry ripe,” said Stokes.

In a race with many chances, defending champion Sepals tackles the 1,400m first-up for trainer Cliff Brown, who will also saddle Von Hauke in the race.

The barrier draw was not kind to co-trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes after Evaporate drew barrier 17 and War Machine barrier 18.

The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is carded as Race 17 on the Australia race card on Singapore Pools and will be run at 2.50pm (Singapore time) on Sept 19. HKJC