The Grant & Alana Williams-trained flyer Showmanship is tipped to continue his winning streak when stepping up in class for Saturday’s 2020 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

Behemoth (pictured in Adelaide) is one of the key 2020 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes nominations for Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

Monday saw 24 spring hopefuls nominated for the Group 1 $500,000 Neds Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) including two nice types from the Perth stables of father-daughter training duo Grant & Alana Williams.

The team may have had to send All-Star Mile champion Regal Roller back home due to a lung infection earlier in the season, but it is all systems go for Showmanship and stablemate Superstorm ahead of the Sir Rupert.

Current all-in Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have ultra-consistent Showcasing five-year-old Showmanship as the clear $3.40 favourite ahead of his Group race debut.

Lightly-raced for his age, the gun gelding has had just the eight starts to date for an imposing seven victories and is four-from-four at the distance.

After his brilliant form at home in WA, Showmanship had his first Melbourne run on August 15 saluting with 60kg on his back in a Benchmark 84 over the 1400m at Caulfield.

He went up in grade for a Black-Type run at The Valley a fortnight ago and saluted in the Listed Chandler Macleod Stakes (1200m) without a worry.

Saturday marks a notable rise in grade, but Showmanship looks well-weighted with 54.5kg and has all the momentum.

Superstorm meanwhile currently pays $10 to bounce back and win on the weekend following the Sebring four-year-old’s first-up flop in the Group 3 The Heath 1100 over the short sprint distance at the track on August 29.

Best known for his seconds in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) behind Alligator Blood and $5 million All-Star Mile when the team ran the quinella in the latter, Superstorm was ninth in his spring kick-off.

It was a blanket finish however and he was under two lengths beaten over the 1100m and will be improved second-up going up in distance this weekend.

The danger occupying the second line of pre-field Sir Rupert Clarke stakes betting at $6 is the in-form David Jolly-trained giant Behemoth.

The hulking galloper showed off his brilliant acceleration last start to win the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at the same track and distance by one and a half lengths.

He carried 59kg at weight-for-age that day and goes up to 60kg as the top weight in Saturday’s handicap clash chasing a third straight win.

Michael Moroney’s light-weight Buffalo River ($9) racing first-up at his pet distance (8:5-2-1) is the other Sir Rupert nominee at single-figures before Tagaloa ($10) and Cascadian ($11).

Blue Diamond winner Tagaloa resumed in the Group 3 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) on Memsie Stakes Day and ran third to Immortal Love only a neck off the winner and will be better second-up on the weekend.

Cascadian for Godolphin meanwhile is yet to win at the Caulfield track and looks more of a miler than a 1400m horse, but was strong to the line when fourth in both the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence and Memsie Stakes so cannot be left out.

Last year’s champion Begood Toya Mother meanwhile is at $15 to go back-to-back in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes for the first time since Testa Rossa (1999-2000).

Daniel Bowman’s Myboycharlie six-year-old has been racing below his best this season including the sixth in the Memsie when mid-field again, but could be ready to peak again with the right run.

Click here for the latest futures Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Wednesday morning’s final acceptances.

2020 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Nominations

Table Credit: Racing Australia.