Latest News

By Ray Hickson

All the signs are positive for Happy Clapper to take his rightful place in the field for Winx’s farewell in the $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 13.

Trainer Pat Webster (Pic: Bradley Photos).

That was trainer Pat Webster’s summation after the popular eight-year-old passed an important barrier trial test at Randwick on Friday.

Happy Clapper didn’t fire in the All Star Mile at Flemington and pulled up with what Webster described as a Grade 3 internal bleed so he wanted to see everything in order in the 1200m trial.

“The good thing about the trial is it keeps the fitness there,’’ Webster said.

“He needed time to get over the Melbourne incident because you don’t have a grade 3 and get straight over it.

“Blake (Shinn) was happy with him and all going well he’ll run in the Queen Elizabeth.’’

Happy Clapper has almost become Winx’s racing sidekick – when she’s there it feels wrong if he isn’t in the field.

That’s the sense Webster had when Winx won last weekend’s George Ryder Stakes so he’s keen for the horse to have a trouble free two weeks and front up to see her off on Day 2 of The Championships.

The gelding has famously run second behind the champ on five occasions and ran third in last year's Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Another second would hand the Clapper's connections $755,000.

“It wouldn’t be the same without him. It looked funny the other day her winning without him,’’ Webster said.

“He gets time now to get over the trial then starts doing some pacework next Thursday and Saturday, and has a good hit out the Tuesday before the Queen Elizabeth.’’

Randwick’s trials saw plenty of Championships big names have a clean out before the ‘grand finals’ including reigning TJ Smith winner Trapeze Artist, who won his trial without blinkers, and several of his likely opposition including Vega Magic, Santa Ana Lane and Osborne Bulls.

Inglis Millennium winner Castelvecchio resurfaced after 10 days in the paddock to have his major hitout prior to Saturday week’s Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m).

The colt finished strongly at the end of his 1045m trial and trainer Richard Litt said it was exactly what he wanted four weeks since his third in the Todman Stakes.

Happy Clapper wins his trial at Randwick on March 29

“He was a little bit fresh, a bit of a handful actually, and we needed to get that out of his system,’’ Litt said.

“He got back and did his thing, he hit the line fantastically and he’s on track.’’

Castelvecchio is the $6 all-in favourite with TAB for the Sires’ and the youngster will have one final gallop next week before his first Group 1 target.

It was noticeable that the horse was asked to do some work by jockey Josh Parr and Litt said that was deliberate.

“He needed to do something, there was no point bringing him here to have a canter,’’ he said.

“He’s cooled down and recovered quickly, I’m delighted with him.’’

Acceptances for the four Group 1 races – the $3m The Star Doncaster Miler, $2.5m Darley TJ Smith, $2m Harrolds Australian Derby and $1m Inglis Sires – are finalised on Tuesday.

All the entries, form and replays for Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick