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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
02:20 ET

Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 115lbs Type: OPEN Fastest Time: 1:21.54 Jimmysstar 03 Feb 2024 3yo+ BM84 SOT:G
7 f TURF SOFT 5
8
02:20
(local)
AUD $1,000,000
7 f SOFT 5

Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 115lbs Type: OPEN Fastest Time: 1:21.54 Jimmysstar 03 Feb 2024 3yo+ BM84 SOT:G
Tab
Form
Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
BP
Trainer
WT
1
146x6
ANOTHER WIL (AUS) 6yo G
STREET BOSS (USA) - AROHANUI (AUS)
JAMIE MELHAM
7
CIARON MAHER
59kg
2
12x37
HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) 8yo G
SHOCKING (AUS) - FRESCOES (AUS)
DANIEL STACKHOUSE
6
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
58kg

Sales Information

3
97x79
PINSTRIPED (AUS) 7yo G
STREET BOSS (USA) - SNITZEL BLITZ (AUS)
JAMIE MOTT
5
ENVER JUSUFOVIC
56.5kg

Sales Information

4
x50x5
AIRMAN (AUS) 6yo G
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - ZARA BAY (AUS)
BEN MELHAM
12
M, W & J HAWKES
56kg

Sales Information

5
6x221
ARKANSAW KID (AUS) 5yo G
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - FLORABELLA (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
1
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
56kg

Sales Information

6
316x6
FEROCE (NZ) 4yo G
SUPER SETH (AUS) - CORINTHIA (NZ)
BILLY EGAN
10
DOMINIC SUTTON
56kg

Sales Information

7
x52x4
ZARASTRO (AUS) 7yo G
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - ADRIFT (NZ)
ANGELA JONES
11
TONY GOLLAN
56kg

Sales Information

8
897x0
PORT LOCKROY (AUS) 5yo H
BETTER THAN READY (AUS) - FREEZETHEMILLIONS (AUS)
JYE MCNEIL
3
ANNABEL & ROB ARCHIBALD
54.5kg

Sales Information

9
6x1x1
ANGEL CAPITAL (AUS) 4yo H
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - BAHAMAS (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
13
CHRIS WALLER
53.5kg

Sales Information

10
611x5
DAMASK ROSE (NZ) 4yo M
SAVABEEL (AUS) - SOMBREUIL (AUS)
MICHAEL DEE
17
MARK WALKER
52kg

Sales Information

11
430x9
ANOTHER PROPHET (AUS) 4yo M
BRAZEN BEAU (AUS) - SET TO SKELTER (AUS)
DECLAN BATES
15
CIARON MAHER
52kg
12
11x48
IS IT ME (AUS) 6yo G
IFFRAAJ (GB) - GOSH (IRE)
PATRICK MOLONEY
8
DANIEL BOWMAN
52kg

Sales Information

13
1607x
JENNILALA (AUS) 6yo M
SHALAA (IRE) - ROSARIAN (AUS)
HARRY COFFEY
2
GAVIN BEDGGOOD
52kg

Sales Information

14
425x7
CHORLTON LANE (IRE) 5yo G
MEHMAS (IRE) - ASMEEN (IRE)
CELINE GAUDRAY
9
CIARON MAHER
52kg

Sales Information

15
311x2
MISS ROUMBINI (AUS) 5yo M
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - BLEU ROCHE (AUS)
BEAU MERTENS
14
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
52kg

Sales Information

16
114x1
SEPALS (AUS) 4yo G
CALYX (GB) - WHAT'S NEW (NZ)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
16
CLIFF BROWN
52kg

Sales Information

17
51114
ZOU SENSATION (AUS) 6yo G
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - DAME CLAIRE (NZ)
LUKE CURRIE
4
L & T CORSTENS & W LARKIN
52kg

Sales Information