In-form galloper Land Of Plenty is the pick of Darren Weir’s three runners in the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Home Of The Brave, above, is the favourite for the 2018 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Land Of Plenty is coming off a second up win in the Listed $120,000 Bendigo Bank Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 8 and Weir said that he has come through that run in great shape.
“He is great and Jarrod (McLean) said that he worked really well yesterday. In really good shape and hopefully gets there in good shape on Saturday,” Weir told racing.com.
“His two runs have been fantastic, he is going to strip fitter again third up. Everything has gone ideally. We are really happy with the order of the horse going into Saturday and just hope that he gets his chance.”
Damian Lane gets the ride again on Land Of Plenty who drew barrier fifteen in the original draw but will move in two or three places at start time, depending on if some or all of the emergencies gain a start or not.
The Weir trained Peaceful State also drew out wide at fourteen and Dean Yendall will be holding out for more than his fair share of luck in the capacity Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field.
Weir is a little bit concerned that the 1400m of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes might be a bit short for Peaceful State who he thinks will be better suited over the 1600m of the Group 1 $500,000 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on October 13.
“He has come on well. I just don’t think it will be quite far enough,” Weir said.
“That will probably be the little question mark there. He may be more of a Toorak type horse at a mile.”
“He hasn’t got the ideal racing style. He is a get back, run on horse so you need a lot of luck.”
“But a high pressure race like the Rupert Clarke, that might suit him and if horses are running on late in the day that will give him a chance.”
Land Of Plenty is high up in the betting at $6 for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au with Peaceful State marked at $10 while Weir’s third runner, Ozi Choice, is one of the outsiders of the field at $41.
Second emergency Ozi Choice (barrier 12) is facing a huge step up in class coming off a last start ninth in the Bendigo Bank Stakes and Weir said if he doesn’t improve his barrier manners, will have little chance of matching it in Group 1 company.
“He seems to be well but he has got into this rotten habit of missing the start. It is hard enough to give horses a start in lesser races so in Group 1 races it is nearly impossible,” Weir said.
“He has to race forward, he is free rolling type of horse. The weight will help him but probably on his last couple of runs he needs to improve but as long as he doesn’t give them a start he will be a round them for a while.”
The James Cummings trained $4.20 favourite Home Of The Brave is coming off a last start all of the way win in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on September 8.
Home Of The Brave drew barrier ten in the original draw with Mark Zahra taking over the reins from Glyn Schofield.