Group 1 fields out for Saturday

A full field of 16 is set to contest the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday whilst at Randwick superstar mare Verry Ellegant headlines a field of 9 in the G1 George Main Stakes. 

Behemoth is the top weight in this years edition of the Sir Rupert Clarke and will be looking to become the first horse to complete the Memsie and Rupert Clarke double twice. Drawn ideally in 3 with Craig Williams back in the saddle the big boy will have every chance of making history come Saturday.

The David Jolly trained galloper has a stack of rivals to contend with including the favourite Probabeel who has also drawn perfectly in 2 and will have the services of the inform Brett Prebble.

Fellow South Australian raider Beau Rossa will also be a massive danger drawing the pole position and will get some weight relief from Behemoth after their last clash.

Whilst the news isn’t as good for the promising OTI galloper in I’m Thunderstruck being stuck as the first emergency. Drawn the carpark, it won’t be easy even if he does make his way in the field.

The George Main in Sydney is a small but quality field with the eight time Group 1 winner Verry Ellegant to start the short priced favourite.

However the quality six-year-old mare started at similar odds in the race last year and failed to run a drum so is no certainty heading into Saturday.

Chris Waller saddles up three other runners in the feature including Kolding who is looking to go back-to-back in the George Main after winning at double figure odds last year.

Hungry Heart and Star Of The Seas are his two other entrants.

One of the main dangers to the favourite is Think It Over who is coming off a nice win in the Group 2 Chelmsford a fortnight ago. The Kerry Parker trained gelding stamped himself as a genuine Group 1 horse when he took out the George Ryder in the Autumn Carnival.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott yard are well represented with Riodini and Shout The Bar. Riodini will jump from the inside gate after an impressive last start effort behind Think It Over. Whilst Shout The Bar will be looking to get back to her best jumping out of gate 3.

• Full field for the 2021 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes 

1. Behemoth (3) 59kg – David Jolly – Craig Williams
2. Probabeel (2) 57kg – Jamie Richards – Brett Prebble
3. Streets Of Avalon (14) 56kg – Shane Nichols – Damien Oliver
4. Dalasan (16) 55.5kg – Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas – Ben Allen
5. Beau Rossa (1) 55kg – Will Clarken – Linda Meech
6. Buffalo River (4) 52.5kg – Michael Moroney  – Patrick Moloney
7. Sierra Sue (10) 52.5kg – Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young – Daniel Moor
8. Groundswell (9) 52kg – Anthony & Sam Freedman – Damien Thornton
9. Aysar (13) 52kg – Ben & JD Hayes – Harry Coffey
10. Irish Flame (5) 52kg – Brett Scott – Matthew Cartwright
11. Romancer (8) 52kg – Grahame Begg – Michael Dee
12. Samizdat (6) 52kg – Chris & Michael Gangemi – Craig Newitt
13. Amish Boy (15) 52kg – Ciaron Maher & David Eustace – Dean Yendall
14. Dice Roll (7) 52kg – Nick Ryan – Fred Kersley 
15. Regardsmaree (11) 52kg – Nick Ryan – Dean Holland
16. Poland (12) 52kg – Michael Moroney – Teodore Nugent 
17. I’m Thunderstruck (17) 56.5kg – Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr – Jye McNeil (Emergency) 

• Full field for the 2021 George Main Stakes   

1. Kolding (4) 59kg – Chris Waller – Tim Clark
2. Think It Over (6) 59kg – Kerry Parker – Nash Rawiller
3. Cascadian (9) 59kg – James Cummings – Hugh Bowman
4. Star Of The Seas (5) 59kg – Chris Waller – Sam Clipperton
5. Riodini (1) 59kg – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott – Rachel King
6. Lion’s Roar (8) 58.5kg – John O’Shea – Regan Bayliss
7. Verry Ellegant (2) 57kg – Chris Waller – James McDonald
8. Shout The Bar (3) 57kg – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott – Kathy O’Hara
9. Hungry Heart (7) 56.5kg – Chris Waller – Kerrin McEvoy