Search

show me:

news preview

Sepals in line for Group 1 honours

Sepals will look to give trainer Cliff Brown his first Group 1 win on Australian soil since his return from Singapore.

SEPALS,
SEPALS, Picture: Racing Photos

Trainer Cliff Brown admits the task facing Sepals will not be an easy one as the pair chase a Group 1 win at Caulfield

Brown was no stranger to Group 1 success in Australia before a 12-year career in Singapore saw him rack up multiple wins at the highest level. 

Returning to Melbourne in 2021, Brown saw The Inferno narrowly beaten in the that year's Manikato Stakes and while Group 1 runners have not been as many as he would have liked since, he heads to the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on Saturday with a solid chance. 

Sepals has a touch of class but will be taking on some seasoned performers in Saturday's contest at his seventh career start, but he does have a Group 2 victory to his credit along with a fourth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington at his fifth race start. 

Brown thought enough of Sepals to pitch the gelding first-up into the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last month, but a mishap in the barriers led to the gelding being scratched. 

A trial followed and instead of heading to the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 30, Brown aimed Sepals at the benchmark 100 contest over the same trip that day and the gelding strolled away for a 4-½ length victory. 

Craig Williams thought enough of the win and was quickly on the phone to Brown with a booking confirmed just days later. 

Brown said Sepals had trained on perfectly since his first-up victory but concedes gate 16 on Saturday will make the task tough. 

"He looks well and we're hopeful," Brown said. 

"The 1400-metre start at Caulfield is tricky enough, let alone jumping from the near outside gate. 

"It isn't perfect, and it will be dependent on how the track is playing as well. He was impressive the other day, but it was a benchmark race, and we have to now go several levels higher. 

"Angel Capital did it in a Group race and was just as impressive against better opposition." 

Brown said Sepals was a thicker, more mature galloper from the one that presented during his three-year-old year, but he is also taking on more seasoned gallopers with greater race experience. 

He said Saturday's performance will clear a number of things in his mind as to where the gelding sits against stronger opposition. 

"He didn't grow a lot, but he certainly thickened and strengthened and mentally he knows what it's about now, so on Saturday we will find out a lot of things," Brown said. 

"But the barrier is a concern, and we must be mindful of a few factors of how the race is run, where he settles and how he runs himself." 


Racing and Sports

Caulfield

Saturday, 20th September 2025

8
ET

Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 115lbs Type: OPEN
7 f TURF GOOD
8

(local)
AUD $1,004,900
7 f GOOD

Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 115lbs Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 16. SEPALS (AUS) 4yo G
CALYX (GB) - WHAT'S NEW (NZ)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
CLIFF BROWN
$3.5
52kg
C I Brown, H A Brown, Imperial Racing Stable (Mgr: M Harding), G B Whittenbury, D J Cornwell, R A Pegum & T J McGrath

Sales Information

2nd 15. MISS ROUMBINI (AUS) 5yo M
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - BLEU ROCHE (AUS)
BEAU MERTENS
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
$14
52kg
Flying Angels (Mgr: C R Kayes), Fire Up (Mgr: T S Rocks), Yu Long Investments (Mgr: Y Zhang), Barragunda Racing (Mgr: A C Lewis), J Rockes, A M Kerr, S R Frost, D W Smith, T J Coloe, Mes Chevaux (Mgr: P Athanasakos) & Mrs E Lovu

Sales Information

3rd 6. FEROCE (NZ) 4yo G
SUPER SETH (AUS) - CORINTHIA (NZ)
BILLY EGAN
DOMINIC SUTTON
$31
56kg
Sutton Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: D E A Sutton), S Chappell, S S Roth, T M Dickson, P M Hayden, B G Arnel, R & C Racing (Mgr: R J Bresnan), AFL Premiers (Mgr: J Kanga), N Dimitrakis & J Petrakis

Sales Information

4th 9. ANGEL CAPITAL (AUS) 4yo H
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - BAHAMAS (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
CHRIS WALLER
$2.9
53.5kg

Sales Information

5th 3. PINSTRIPED (AUS) 7yo G
STREET BOSS (USA) - SNITZEL BLITZ (AUS)
JAMIE MOTT
ENVER JUSUFOVIC
$81
56.5kg

Sales Information

6th 17. ZOU SENSATION (AUS) 6yo G
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - DAME CLAIRE (NZ)
LUKE CURRIE
L & T CORSTENS & W LARKIN
$31
52kg

Sales Information

7th 10. DAMASK ROSE (NZ) 4yo M
SAVABEEL (AUS) - SOMBREUIL (AUS)
MICHAEL DEE
MARK WALKER
$21
52kg

Sales Information

8th 13. JENNILALA (AUS) 6yo M
SHALAA (IRE) - ROSARIAN (AUS)
HARRY COFFEY
GAVIN BEDGGOOD
$91
52kg

Sales Information

9th 2. HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) 8yo G
SHOCKING (AUS) - FRESCOES (AUS)
DANIEL STACKHOUSE
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$31
58kg

Sales Information

10th 5. ARKANSAW KID (AUS) 5yo G
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - FLORABELLA (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$11
56kg

Sales Information

11th 8. PORT LOCKROY (AUS) 5yo H
BETTER THAN READY (AUS) - FREEZETHEMILLIONS (AUS)
JYE MCNEIL
ANNABEL & ROB ARCHIBALD
$101
54.5kg

Sales Information

12th 12. IS IT ME (AUS) 6yo G
IFFRAAJ (GB) - GOSH (IRE)
PATRICK MOLONEY
DANIEL BOWMAN
$41
52kg

Sales Information

13th 1. ANOTHER WIL (AUS) 6yo G
STREET BOSS (USA) - AROHANUI (AUS)
JAMIE MELHAM
CIARON MAHER
$8.5
59kg
14th 7. ZARASTRO (AUS) 7yo G
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - ADRIFT (NZ)
ANGELA JONES
TONY GOLLAN
$26
56kg

Sales Information

LR 14. CHORLTON LANE (IRE) 5yo G
MEHMAS (IRE) - ASMEEN (IRE)
CELINE GAUDRAY
CIARON MAHER
$26
52kg

Sales Information