Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes attracts capacity field

Magic Time heads betting markets for the 2023 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. Photo: Racing NSW

The Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1600m) has attracted a capacity field of 16 runners, who are vying for the $1 million on offer at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday.

Traditionally run in mid-September, the 2023 edition of the Rupert Clarke Stakes was moved to after the Melbourne Cup Carnival in an attempt to solidify the race as one of the premier handicap events for sprinters/milers.

Having raced in Sydney at her past two starts, Grahame Begg’s Magic Time returns to Caulfield for the first time since chasing Asfoora in The Heath 1100 on September 2.

The four-year-old mare heads the market with horse racing betting sites as a +270 market elect.

The Hellbent mare will make her Group 1 debut on Saturday after finishing third in The Invitation (1400m), where she was defeated by 0.3 lengths behind Group 1 winners Espiona and Ruthless Dame.

I Am Me has not been seen since finishing second behind Imperatriz in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).

Set to be partnered by Blake Shin from barrier 10, Saturday’s Group 1 will be I Am Me’s second run at the 1400m, a distance she has not stepped out to since October 2021, when she was defeated 5.5 lengths behind Fangirl and Roots.

Strait Acer is another who will make his way down from Sydney, having last been seen finishing fourth behind Obamburumai in the Golden Eagle (1500m).

Mark Zahra is set to partner the Edward Cummings-trained gelding who continues to rise through the grades in Sydney with great aplomb.

Damien Oliver will take his final Group 1 ride in Victoria aboard Godolphin’s Vilana.

Despite needing to carry the top weight of 57kg, Vilana is firm in the market at +1100 as he looks to break his Group 1 maiden tag at at his fifth attempt.

The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is race eight on the bumper 10-race meeting at Caulfield and is set to jump at 4:25pm AEDT.

2023 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Vilana	James Cummings	Damien Oliver	1	57kg
2	I Am Me	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Blake Shinn	10	56kg
3	Strait Acer	Edward Cummings	Mark Zahra	4	55.5kg
4	Bandersnatch	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Jordan Childs	3	55kg
5	Skew Wiff	Mark Walker	Craig Williams	12	55kg
6	The Inferno	Cliff Brown	Jake Noonan	7	55kg
7	Ayrton	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Daniel Moor	6	54.5kg
8	Zoutori	Mathew Ellerton	Beau Mertens	2	54.5kg
9	Buffalo River	Mike Moroney	Celine Gaurdray	19	53.5kg
10	Chain Of Lightning	Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman	Billy Egan	11	53.5kg
11	Magic Time	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	15	53.5kg
12	Munhamek	Nick Ryan	Luke Currie	18	53.5kg
13	Cause For Concern	Shawn Mathrick	Jamie Kah	8	53kg
14	General Beau	Mathew Ellerton	Linda Meech	16	53kg
15	Crosshaven	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Daniel Stackhouse	5	52.5kg
16	Wrote To Arataki	Matthew Williams	Dean Yendall	13	52.5kg
17	Not An Option (1E)	Mike Moroney	Craig Newitt	9	52.5kg
18	Military Expert (2E)	Annabel Neasham	Winona Costin	17	52.5kg
19	Umgawa (3E)	Leon & Troy Corstens	Liam Riordan	14	52.5kg