Bittercreek wants crack at the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Posted by RS NewsWire at 7:44pm on November 12th

Will Larkin would happily take the $300,000 winner’s cheque from this Saturday’s Blue Sapphire Stakes with Bittercreek, but he has his eyes on an even bigger prize at the Caulfield card.

The young trainer and his partners, Leon and Troy Corstens, are keen to see the three-year-old son of Snitzel contest the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

Bittercreek was among 24 entries for the $1.5 million event when they closed on Monday but is the second lowest-rated horse among them, meaning he could battle to gain a start in the field limited to 16 and four emergencies.

“We want to get him into the Rupert Clarke with a light weight, but with his rating he’s going to be borderline getting a start, but if not we’ve got the back up option of the Blue Sapphire,” Larkin said.

“He’s got a tremendous pedigree, being a Snitzel colt, so to get that Group 1 win would be all the better for him and if we can sneak our way in we’ll be having a crack.”

Bittercreek will step up to 1400m for the first time this campaign whichever race he tackles with the best of his three runs for far in spring being his Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) win at The Valley on Cox Plate Day.

He backed up into the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, which was won comfortably by Switzerland, but a poorly-timed peek into an adjoining barrier cost him any winning hope.

“Just before the gates opened Benny (Allen) shouted out ‘no’, because he tried to get his head over the barrier next to him, and that left him on the back foot and he missed it by three.

“So, he was a long way off them and I still thought he found the line pretty well but that’s a race where you can’t afford to give those horses a start so he did a good job.

“Plus, we now know that 1200 is probably short of his best and he is going to get better as he steps out over further.”

Among the other Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes entries are Ciaron Maher-trained stars Southport Tycoon, Jimmysstar and Another Wil, Group 1 winners Private Eye, Pinstriped, Climbing Star and Tuvalu, Lawrence Stakes winner Gentleman Roy and fellow three-year-old Coleman.

Coleman is also among 24 nominations for the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes and is the only entry with a higher official handicapper rating than Bittercreek.

More Racing News

Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare

Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...

Today

Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid

He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...

Today

Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut

A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...

Today

Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange

Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...

Today

Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong

Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...

Today

Mark Walker aims for ‘new’ hometown Cranbourne Cup

Trainer Mark Walker has a good record when in form New Zealand gallopers land in Australia. Walker’s latest ‘import’ is It’s A Wild Night who will have his first Australian outing in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday. It’s A Wild Night arrived at Walker’s Cranbourne base just over a week ago...

Today

Trainer Gavin Bedggood chasing Fortune in The Meteorite

Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday. Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time. The former...

Today

Railway Stakes 2024 timing perfect for Baker’s Bel

In-form mare Belclare will need to overcome a wide alley to land her first Australian Group One win in the Railway Stakes at Ascot, and connections believe Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. A two-time victor at the highest level in New Zealand, Belclare joined the Sydney stable of Bjorn...

Today

John Stewart eyes Melbourne with 2024 Japan Cup fancy

Goliath faces one of the toughest tasks in racing this weekend, beating the Japanese at home in their biggest race, but John Stewart is already planning his next moves with his star recruit and Australia is on the itinerary. The ambitious American has quickly become a powerful investor in Australian racing and...

Today

Hedged poised to give The Warra rivals a trim-up

The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way. The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start...

Today