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By Ray Hickson

There’s a big zero against Sepals’ name that trainer Cliff Brown doesn’t know what to do with when assessing his chances in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick.

Trainer Cliff Brown (Pic: Racing Photos)

A Group 1 winner in September, the gelding was sent out favourite in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) three weeks ago and failed to beat a runner home.

As it turned out it was a torrid run, he jumped well and put himself into a good spot early but suffered a cut during the race to his near hind that required staples post race and Brown thought the prep might be over.

It isn’t, he’s in Sydney to run in the rich race exclusively for four-year-olds, as a $17 chance with TAB on Wednesday, and Brown is forgiving of that run – but he’s still not sure what it all means.

“It is a real negative and I don’t know how often horses come back from runs like that,’’ he said.

“Unfortunately, with these things, you never really know how you’ve recovered until after the next race.

“If you look at his whole career before then it was very good. Even in the Australian Guineas with the sectionals he ran from the position he was in.

“If you were coming out of the Rupert Clarke you’d be going he’s a great chance. But after that run you’re a bit like, 'I think he’s right but is he'.

“If that run never existed and he worked like he did (Tuesday) morning you’d think we’re in great shape.”

So Sepals went into the Toorak with high expectations from Brown having claimed his first Group 1 in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

It says something about the gelding’s resilience that he was able to bounce back, after a few days, to a point where his trainer was happy to run him in the hardest race of his career to date.

“He got knocked over in the race and was out of play from then and got struck from behind so nothing went right at all,’’ he said.

“He was pretty quiet for a few days and I thought we’d probably end up going to the paddock.

“But by the Wednesday (after the Toorak) his demeanour changed considerably, it was really interesting to see.

“He just recovered, he left a bit of feed the first few days and was really flat but then you could just see that change in him.

“He had a nice gallop the following Tuesday and worked really well so we sent him up and he galloped (Tuesday morning) on the Kensington track and galloped lovely.”

Brown has won a feature race in Sydney, the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas back in 1997 with Tarnpir Lane but he spent 12 of the years since then training in Singapore.

His classy former Singapore sprinter The Inferno contested the 2021 TAB Everest but Sepals is his first Group 1 winner since returning to train in Australia some five years ago.

He said the Golden Eagle wasn’t necessarily a target for the horse but now that he’s in the race he hopes fortune favours him more than it did last start at Caulfield.

Sepals takes out the Sir Rupert Clarke for his maiden G1 victory!#Caulfieldpic.twitter.com/e9pVD0H9FX

— bet365 Australia (@bet365_aus) September 20, 2025

Sepals wins the Sir Rupert Clarke (Video: 7HorseRacing on X)

The horse has been partnered with charity Street Side Medics for the Eagle, and 10 per cent of the prizemoney is donated.

“I don’t really have lofty ambitions, I’d rather see how they come through each run and assess from there,’’ he said.

“I think there will be good speed but he’ll certainly race in the first bunch.

“We’re hopeful. The filly (Autumn Glow) looks exceptional, Linebacker is in great form and the Japanese horse’s form is very good. There’s lots of good chances, we still have to measure up but he in himself seems good.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Eagle meeting at Randwick