Last Saturday’s Doncaster Mile winner Happy Clapper is set to have another shot at champion mare Winx when he backs up in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) oin day two of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday.
Winx and Happy Clapper, above, will clash again in the 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Happy Clapper was far superior to the rest of the field when he strode away in the straight to record a two lengths win over Comin’ Through in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick.
Happy Clapper finished second to Winx in the 2016 Doncaster Mile, one of seven times the two great rivals matched strides on the racetrack.
The Pat Webster trained seven year old was also runner up to Winx in the Group 1 $1m The Agency George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 24 during his current campaign and in the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes (George Main Stakes) (1600m) at Randwick during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival.
Happy Clapper’s other clashes with Chris Waller’s champion mare resulted in two sixth placings in the 2016 and 2017 Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley, a fifth in last year’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes and a fifth in the 2016 George Ryder Stakes.
Last Saturday’s Doncaster Mile was Happy Clapper’s third Group 1 win and Webster said after the victory that the stable flag bearer would more than likely back up week to week in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“He’ll probably run in the Queen Elizabeth,” Webster said.
“$750,000 for running second, so we’ll go there again.”
“We’ll get the vet to trot him up before acceptances on Tuesday and if he’s happy with him, he’s treated him all the way through with all his injuries, then he’ll run.
“But if there’s any little doubt then we’ll just turf him straight out and wait for another prep but as of today he’s good.
“She’s a great mare but the minor prizemoney is good too so we’re looking forward to it.”
Happy Clapper kicked off his Autumn Carnival campaign with a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Bisley Workwear Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on March 10 while his other Group 1 victory came in the the 2017 Group 1 $1m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.
Winx will be chasing her twenty-fifth win in a row when she lines up to win successive Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The world’s best race horse has looked sensational in her two Autumn Carnival outings with a first up seven lengths win in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on March 3 following by a three quarters of a length victory over Happy Clapper in the George Ryder Stakes.
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au have Winx as the very short priced $1.18 favourite for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Happy Clapper the second pick at $9.
Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir provides the next two in the betting with Humidor at $11 and Gailo Chop at $12.
The final field for the 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes will be released on Tuesday April 10.
Early betting for the 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.18 Winx, $9 Happy Clapper, $11 Humidor, $12 Gailo Chop, $26 Ace High, Aloisia, Ambitious, Comin’ Through, D’Argento, $34 Success Days, $51 Admire Winner, Mission Hill, Satono Rasen, Single Gaze, Tom Melbourne, Tosen Stardom, $61 or better the rest.
