Popular galloper Happy Clapper has flown home to win a second Group 1 title in this afternoon’s Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick.
The son of Teofilo was forever the bridesmaid at Group 1 company until he broke the duck in last year’s Epsom Handicap and he is likely to firm in our Doncaster Mile betting market following this afternoon’s impressive first-up win.
Jumping from the gates well, jockey Blake Shinn elected to settle the horse off the early pace of Global Glamour, Showtime and Tulip, who set a break-neck tempo in transit.
Enjoying a good run in transit, Shinn had his work cut out for him when arriving in the final straight as Global Glamour skipped clear of her rivals and appeared to have opened a winning margin.
Immediately responding when asked for an extra effort however, Happy Clapper produced his typically strong turn of foot to run down the multiple Group 1-winning mare; breaking the 1300m track record at Randwick in the process.
Trainer Pat Webster waiting more than forty years to saddle his first Group 1 winner in Happy Clapper in 2017, and has now won two within six months.
“They look different on race day in the enclosure and when I saw him today I thought he’d run really well, and he did,” Webster said.
“He nearly broke the track record in the Epsom and his half-brother won in Melbourne today (Not A Single Cent). No doubt the owner will be happy.
“I just hope I haven’t taken too much out of him first-up but who cares, it’s Group 1 and he can probably run second to the great mare (Winx, Group 1 George Ryder Stakes) and then be a chance in the Doncaster.
“$290,000 for running second (in the George Ryder), I’m not dodging anyone!”
Shinn delivered a gem of a ride aboard Happy Clapper to win the Canterbury Stakes and is confident he’ll race well against Winx in the George Ryder Stakes.
“He’s been a marvel for the connections and Pat, his family and the staff involved and I’ve been very lucky to have been chosen to ride him,” Shinn said.
“I’ve built up a great record on him and to win another Group 1 for Pat is a great thrill.
“He was primed, he had two nice trials and he goes well fresh. Obviously from barrier 1, I was just hoping that the cards would fall my way. I had to pull my way out there around the turn, but fortunately he’s a big horse and I had a lap-full under me.
“Once he got that daylight he really rounded the race off strongly. It was a great effort and sets himself up nicely.
“I think he’s seven-years-old now, but he’s been sparingly raced and he’s been treated well his whole career, so there’s no reason why he couldn’t reach his best form still.
“He gave Winx a good run for her money last prep and we’ll meet her in the Ryder, so it’s going to be a good re-match again.”
Happy Clapper is currently available at George Ryder Stakes odds of $26 in our early market.