Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Group One Betting Guide
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Location: Caulfield Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria
Prize Money: $1,000,000
Distance: 1400m

Named after long-time Victorian Amateur Turf Club chairman Sir Rupert Clarke, the Group 1 race is one of Caulfield’s premier races.

Typically held in mid September, the Sir Rupert Clarke was first raced as the Invitation Cup in 1951 and has had various name changes in its close to 70 year history.

Gaining Group 1 status in 1980, the honour roll of the race is a veritable who’s who of Australian thoroughbred champions.


2024 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Betting Odds

Markets for the 2024 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes are currently unavailable.


Best Sir Rupert Clarke Bookmakers

The Sir Rupert Clarke is a fantastic betting race and the online bookmakers come out in force ahead of the Group 1.

Click on any of the banners below to read our comprehensive reviews on the online bookmakers we trust.


Latest Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes News

Follow Files blackbook tips
In this week’s Follow Files, we have found two horses from the Caulfield and one from Rosehill on Saturday afternoon ...
Magic Time bolts clear in Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
Grahame Begg and Michael Dee have combined with Magic Time to take out the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes ...
Caulfield betting tips
A competitive 10-race card awaits punters at Caulfield on Saturday for Thousand Guineas Day. Check out HorseBetting's free race-by-race preview ...
Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes attracts capacity field
The Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1600m) has attracted a capacity field of 16 runners vying for the $1 ...
Racing Victoria announces Spring Racing Carnival enhancements
Racing Victoria (RV) has confirmed the primary structure of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival program, announcing key enhancements for 2023 ...
John Bary
Hawke’s Bay trainer John Bary was proud as punch watching on from afar as his former three-time Group One winning ...

Betting on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Like all Group 1 races in Australia, bookmakers will have odds out weeks in advance for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. These will be ‘all-in’ fixed markets, meaning if you know a horse is targeting this race you should be able to secure some juicy odds.

Previously, the winner of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes has had its final lead-up in the now Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality four times.

Other races’ winners who have then gone on to win the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes include the Group 1 Memsie Stakes, which have both provided three winners including 2020 winner Behemoth.

The race has traditionally suited four year olds and up, with only Exceed and Excel in 2003 and Testa Rossa in 1999 winning it as a three year old.

Another important factor to consider when wagering on the Rupert Clarke Stakes is what barrier the horse is in. History tells us that if a horse is drawn wide it will need luck over the first 250m. With the four of the last five winners coming from barrier six and below.

The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes has an exceptionally rich history and has had some champion horses with the likes of Santa Ana Lane, Rebel Dane, Exceed And Excel and Testa Rossa all tasting success in the race.

Lee Freedman has been a strong supporter of the race having saddled up 30 runners, for four winners, a second and a third. Other successful trainers with multiple wins in the race include Rick Hore-Lacy, Darren Weir and Ray Lawson.

The first running of the race was taken out by Jovial Lad over seven Furlongs, with the distance being changed to 1400m in 1972. It became a group 1 race in 1979.

Over the years it has been known as the Invitation Stakes, Marlboro Cup, Victoria Health Cup and the Eat Will Live Well Cup.

With the race a handicap it almost guarantees a cracking tempo and gives the back markers a chance, but it has never been a race for favourites with just four winners in the last 16 years being the punters’ elect.


2024 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Final Field

HorseBetting will update this page when the 2024 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field is released.


Previous Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Fields

Plenty of Group 1 superstars have won the Sir Rupert Clarke. Check the previous fields of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes out here.

  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Vilana
    James Cummings
    Damien Oliver
    1
    57kg
    2 Silks
    I Am Me
    Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
    Blake Shinn
    10
    56kg
    3 Silks
    Strait Acer
    Edward Cummings
    Mark Zahra
    4
    55.5kg
    4 Silks
    Bandersnatch
    Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
    Jordan Childs
    3
    55kg
    5 Silks
    Skew Wiff
    Mark Walker
    Craig Williams
    12
    55kg
    6 Silks
    The Inferno
    Cliff Brown
    Jake Noonan
    7
    55kg
    7 Silks
    Ayrton
    Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
    Daniel Moor
    6
    54.5kg
    8 Silks
    Zoutori
    Mathew Ellerton
    Beau Mertens
    2
    54.5kg
    9 Silks
    Buffalo River
    Mike Moroney
    Celine Gaurdray
    19
    53.5kg
    10 Silks
    Chain Of Lightning
    Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
    Billy Egan
    11
    53.5kg
    11 Silks
    Magic Time
    Grahame Begg
    Michael Dee
    15
    53.5kg
    12 Silks
    Munhamek
    Nick Ryan
    Luke Currie
    18
    53.5kg
    13 Silks
    Cause For Concern
    Shawn Mathrick
    Jamie Kah
    8
    53kg
    14 Silks
    General Beau
    Mathew Ellerton
    Linda Meech
    16
    53kg
    15 Silks
    Crosshaven
    Ben, Will & JD Hayes
    Daniel Stackhouse
    5
    52.5kg
    16 Silks
    Wrote To Arataki
    Matthew Williams
    Dean Yendall
    13
    52.5kg
    17 Silks
    Not An Option (1E)
    Mike Moroney
    Craig Newitt
    9
    52.5kg
    18 Silks
    Military Expert (2E)
    Annabel Neasham
    Winona Costin
    17
    52.5kg
    19 Silks
    Umgawa (3E)
    Leon & Troy Corstens
    Liam Riordan
    14
    52.5kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Dalasan Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas Jason Holder 11 58kg
    2 Laws Of Indices Annabel Neasham John Allen 7 58kg
    3 Sinawann Anthony & Sam Freedman Ben Melham 3 58kg
    4 Callsign Mav Danny O’Brien Jamie Mott 12 57.5kg
    5 I Am Superman Peter & Paul Snowden Mark Zahra 19 57.5kg
    6 Just Folk Josh Julius Harry Coffey 5 57.5kg
    7 Graceful Girl Danny O’Brien Jamie Kah 1 57kg
    8 Ayrton Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Damian Lane 4 56.5kg
    9 Hilal Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jye McNeil 20 56.5kg
    10 Showmanship Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 10 56.5kg
    11 Red Can Man Steve Wolfe Luke Nolen 17 56kg
    12 Buffalo River Mike Moroney Daniel Stackhouse 16 55.5kg
    13 Aysar Ben & JD Hayes Craig Williams 9 55kg
    14 Bankers Choice Mike Moroney Craig Newitt 18 54.5kg
    15 Tuvalu Lindsey Smith Jarrod Fry 13 54.5kg
    16 Chaillot Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Daniel Moor 6 53kg
    17 Dragon Leap (1E) Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Michael Dee 15 54.5kg
    18 I Wish I Win (2E) Peter Moody Jamie Kah 14 54kg
    19 Age Of Chivalry (3E) Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Ethan Brown 8 54kg
    20 Open Minded (4E) Anthony & Sam Freedman Damien Thornton 2 53.5kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Behemoth David Jolly Craig Williams 3 59kg
    2 Probabeel Jamie Richards Brett Prebble 2 57kg
    3 Streets Of Avalon Shane Nichols Damien Oliver 14 56kg
    4 Dalasan Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas Ben Allen 16 55.5kg
    5 Beau Rossa Will Clarken Linda Meech 1 55kg
    6 Buffalo River Michael Moroney Patrick Moloney 4 52.5kg
    7 Sierra Sue Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Daniel Moor 10 52.5kg
    8 Groundswell Anthony & Sam Freedman Damien Thornton 9 52kg
    9 Aysar Ben & JD Hayes Harry Coffey 13 52.5kg
    10 Irish Flame Brett Scott Matthew Cartwright 5 52kg
    11 Romancer Grahame Begg Michael Dee 8 52kg
    12 Samizdat Chris & Michael Gangemi Craig Newitt 6 52kg
    13 Amish Boy Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Dean Yendall 15 52kg
    14 Dice Roll Nick Ryan Fred Kersley 7 52kg
    15 Regardsmaree Nick Ryan Dean Holland 11 52kg
    16 Poland Michael Moroney Teodore Nugent 12 52kg
    17 I’m Thunderstruck (1E) Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Jye McNeil 17 52kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Behemoth David Jolly Craig Williams 5 60kg
    2 Streets Of Avalon Shane Nichols Daniel Stackhouse 17 58.5kg
    3 Begood Toya Mother Daniel Bowman Declan Bates 4 58kg
    4 Cascadian James Cummings Damien Oliver 8 58kg
    5 Superstorm Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 18 57kg
    6 Dollar For Dollar Tony & Calvin McEvoy Luke Nolen 7 56.5kg
    7 Madam Rouge Chris Waller Ben Melham 20 56kg
    8 Mandela Effect Scott Brunton Craig Newitt 2 56kg
    9 Reykjavik Lindsey Smith Dean Yendall 11 56kg
    10 Achernar Star Lindsey Smith Jamie Mott 1 55.5kg
    11 Age Of Chivalry Matthew Ellerton & Simon Zahra Damian Lane 13 55.5kg
    12 Debt Agent Jim Conlan Billy Egan 3 54.5kg
    13 Pretty Brazen Tony & Calvin McEvoy Luke Currie 10 54.5kg
    14 Roheryn James Cummings John Allen 14 54.5kg
    15 Tagaloa Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Michael Walker 12 54kg
    16 Banquo Danny O’Brien Jye McNeil 6 54kg
    17 Harlech (1E) Michael Moroney Michael Dee 9 54kg
    18 I Am Superman (2E) Peter & Paul Snowden N/A 15 54kg
    19 Gold Fields (3E) Logan McGill N/A 19 54kg
    20 Runson (4E) Leon & Troy Corstens N/A 16 54kg

2023 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes result


1stMagic Time (+380)
2ndI Am Me (+140)
3rdStrait Acer (+270)

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes – recent runnings

  • The final Group 1 on the Victorian racing calendar for 2023 will head the way of the Grahame Begg barn as Magic Time ($4.80) produced a brave effort to score victory in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The four-year-old mare was cast wide without cover for the duration of the 1400m journey, but it didn’t seem to phase the daughter of Hellbent. The likes of Buffalo River ($19.00) and General Beau ($21.00) speared forward from barrier 16 and 14 respectively, causing a hectic pace up on-speed. It allowed some of the key chances to settle in the back-half of the field, with Straight Acer ($12.00) and I Am Me ($6.50) gaining soft runs in behind. When the race went on, there was only one horse you wanted to be on however, as Magic Time bolted down the centre of the course to score an impressive maiden Group 1 victory. Straight Acer was luckless storming into third, while I Am Me was brave whacking away into the quinella spot.
  • Prior to the 2022 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Jamie Mott had ridden 1351 career winners, but his 1352nd winner will be the one he remembers the most. Having never ridden a Group 1 winner, Mott finally ticked that off when Callsign Mav relished the heavy going to claim the Sir Rupert Clarke. Having faded badly in the Memsie Stakes after racing up on speed, Mott opted to take a sit off the speed and the move proved pivotal. The former Kiwi loomed largely with 300m to go and inside the final furlong never looked like getting beaten.
  • Having been a good thing beaten in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes, the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Sierra Sue bounced back with a stunning win in the Sir Rupert Clarke. On the back fo a cracking tempo, Sierra Sue aided by a well-timed steer from Daniel Moor managed to run on from the back of the field and claim victory on the back fo a sharp turn of foot. The win handed Daniel Moor is maiden Group 1 success in Australia.
  • After needing to carry 60kg, Behemoth charged home late to claim back-to-back Group 1 victories, after his Memsie Stakes win. Despite being held up for a run early on in the home straight, the David Jolly-trained runner displayed a turn of foot that would later see him be declared a runner in The Everest.
  • The Daniel Bowman trained galloper was a dominant winner of the 2019 Sir Rupert Clarke where he jumped favourite and was able to take over the running at the top of the straight after Iconoclasm set a dashing tempo, leaving the favourite facing the breeze, but proving far too strong when it mattered most to keep Age of Chivalry and Widgee Turf at bay.
  • Home Of The Brave was the more favoured Godolphin runner heading into the 2018 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes but it was Jungle Cat that delivered the goods in the feature. Coming into the final stages it looked like Jungle Cat was about to be swamped by Land Of Plenty but Jungle Cat clawed to victory in stunning fashion.
  • The market has had a habit of sleeping on Santa Ana Lane over the journey and once again the gelding defied the odds to salute in a big race. After settling towards the back of the field and needed plenty of luck coming into the latter stages of the race but Santa Ana Lane surged to the front to topple Mr Sneaky and So Si Bon.
  • Bon Aurum helped trainer Ciaron Maher to his seventh Group 1 win, with an outstanding ride from Kerrin McEvoy. McEvoy was incredibly patient and expertly guided Bon Aurum into the wall of horses challenging, before unleashing on the straight. Voodoo Lad ($6( flashed home for second, while Fast ‘n’ Rocking ($21) overcame a difficult run to finish third. Favourite Counterattack finished sixth. Read the full report.
  • Stratum Star came from the clouds to win this edition. With Disposition and Under the Louvre looking the chances, Stratum Star burst through two runners to score a breakthrough victory. Stratum Star was trained by Darren Weir, with champion jockey Craig Williams in the saddle.
  • Trust in a Gust gave jockey Damian Lane his first group 1 victory. Trained by Darren Weir, Trust in a Gust won an intriguing race from Dissident who looked a likely winner at one point, but Lane’s horse’s head was in front when it counted.
  • Rebel Dane, with Glen Boss aboard, proved too strong to win by a half head from Fontelina and Solzhenitsyn. Trained by Gary Portelli, Rebel Dane got a monkey of its back of sorts, after finally winning a group 1 after almost beating Pierro the season before.

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winners

Sir Rupert Clarke StakesPast Winners
Year Horse Jockey Trainer
2023 Magic Time Michael Dee Grahame Begg
2022 Callsign Mav Jamie Mott Danny O’Brien
2021 Sierra Sue Daniel Moor Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
2020 Behemoth Craig Williams David Jolly
2019 Begood Toya Mother Declan Bates Daniel Bowman
2018 Jungle Cat James Doyle Charlie Appleby
2017 Santa Ana Lane Dean Yendall Lee & Anthony Freedman
2016 Bon Aurum Kerrin McEvoy Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
2015 Stratum Star Craig Williams Darren Weir
2014 Trust In A Gust Damian Lane Darren Weir
2013 Rebel Dane Glenn Boss Gary Portelli
2012 Moment Of Change Luke Nolen Peter Moody
2011 Toorak Toff Craig Williams Rick Hore-Lacy
2010 Response Craig Williams Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra
2009 Turffontein Glen Boss Anthony Cummings
2008 Orange County Damien Oliver Brian Mayfield-Smith
2007 Bon Hoffa Vlad Duric Wendy Kelly
2006 Rewaaya Craig Williams David Hayes
2005 Barely A Moment Craig Williams Tony McEvoy
2004 Regal Roller Mark Flaherty Clinton McDonald
2003 Exceed And Excel Corey Brown Tim Martin
2002 Pernod Kerrin McEvoy Michael Moroney
2001 Mr Murphy Damien Oliver Michael Moroney
2000 Testa Rossa Brett Prebble Dean Lawson

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winners pre-2000

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000
Year Horse
1999 Testa Rossa
1998 Lord Luskin
1997 Cut Up Rough
1996 Encosta De Lago
1995 Our Maizcay
1994 Poetic King
1993 Black Rouge
1992 Mannerism
1991 St. Jude
1990 Submariner
1989 Potrero
1988 Rancho Ruler
1987 Western Pago
1986 Canny Lass
1985 Trichelle
1984 King Phoenix
1983 Ranger’s Son
1982 Magari
1981 Soldier Of Fortune
1980 Torbek
1979 Private Talk
1978 Manikato
1977 Raffindale
1976 Private Talk
1975 Cap D’Antibes
1974 Ptery’s Son
1973 Millefleurs
1972 Proud Toff
1971 Tauto
1970 Tauto
1969 Heralding
1968 Joking
1967 Snub
1966 Maritana
1965 Nicopolis
1964 Ripa
1963 Samson
1962 Anonyme
1961 Anonyme
1960 My Peak
1959 St. Joel
1958 Gay Saba
1957 Luire
1956 St. Joel
1955 Matrice
1954 Rio Janeiro
1953 St. Joel
1952 Fetlar
1951 Jovial Lad
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments