The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is a Group 1 open handicap race held each year at Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in September. The race is run over a distance of 1400 metres and worth $350,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Sir Rupert Clark Stakes was won by Toorak Toff from Pinnacles with Master Of Design third.
A change of programming for the 2011/2012 racing season means the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes now has its own standalone raceday alongside the Gr3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude for three-year-olds.
The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is a good quality sprint race that generally assembles a more than handy field where the winner will quite often be a very good type. Some top liners have managed to etch their name on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes honour role and classy types such as Exceed & Excel (2003), Testa Rossa (1999-2000), Encosta De Lago (1996), Our Maizcay (1995) and Poetic King (1994) have all won this race.
Winners and placegetters in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes are likely to go on and tackle open handicap or weight-for-age sprint races from 1200m to 1600m during the carnival and this event has been a great guide in recent years to the Gr1 Toorak Handicap over 1600 metres at the same track in early October.
Toorak Toff (2011) ran fifth in the Gr3 Bobbie Lewis Quality down the Flemington 1200m straight prior to winning this race and recent Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winners include Response (2010) and Turffontein (2009).
Spring Carnival Guide
The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is more of a guide to the major mile races of the spring with All American (6th in 2009) going on to win the Gr1 Emirates Stakes on the final day of the four-day Flemington carnival while Orange County (2008) went on to run third in the Gr2 Crystal Mile on Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley.
Barely a Moment (2005) and Regal Roller (2004) both went on to win the Toorak Handicap in the same year, while the classy Testa Rossa (1999-2000) won this race twice in a row and then took out the Gr1 Emirates Stakes after his second win in this event.
In recent times No Evidence Needed (2nd in 2010) went on to run second in the Gr2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes at Flemington on Turnbull Stakes Day and Turffontein (2009) finished second in both the Gr2 Caulfield Sprint and Gr1 Salinger Stakes later in the carnival.
2011 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes result
1. $12.00 Toorak Toff 56.5 C Williams
2. $26.00 Pinnacles 54.5 C Symons
3. $21.00 Master Of Design 54.0 D Oliver
then followed
4. $61.00 Majestic Music 53.0 C Newitt
5. $19.00 Luen Yat Forever 55.0 B Melham
6. $26.00 Silver Grecian 54.5 D Beadman
7. $26.00 Dao Dao 56.5 D Dunn
8. $101.00 Gold Salute 53.5 M Walker
9. $51.00 Danzylum 55.5 L Currie
10. $2.90 Smart Missile 53.0 B Prebble
11. $20.00 Dreamaway 53.0 W Pike
12. $11.00 Testascana 54.5 L Nolen
13. $9.00 Pinwheel 58.0 K McEvoy
14. $10.00 Blackie 53.5 N Hall
15. $6.50 Woorim 57.5 D Browne
16. $31.00 Yosei 55.5 Ms M Payne
17. $201.00 Jungle Ruler 53.0 D Yendall
Margins: 1 1/2 len, long head Time: 1:21.95
Bet now on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
Best price of the three Aussie Tabs with 'City Best Plus + SP'
