By Dane Squance
Second in the past two running's of the G1 Doncaster H. (1600m), the Pat Webster-trained Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) will finally get his chance to claim a 'major' over the famed Randwick mile when he lines up as favourite in Saturday's G1 Epsom Hcp (1600m). A winner of the G2 Tramway S. first-up before a second to Winx (Aus) in the G1 George Main S., both at Randwick, Blake Shinn should be able to give the $2.4million earner the run of the race from barrier 4.
Having finished behind Winx (Aus) on five occasions, Happy Clapper doesn't need to worry about the mare on Saturday, but trainer Chris Waller will saddle up five of the 14, and his two mares Egg Tart (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) and Foxplay (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}) could prove the stumbling blocks for the favourite. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy has formed a great relationship with Waller's relatively lightly raced mare Egg Tart, riding her to dual Group 1 success, and with only 51 kilos on her back, the mare should relish the 1600m second up – mirroring Winx's first two starts of her 4-year-old campaign.
Second and third behind Winx (Aus) at her two runs this campaign, 4-year-old mare Foxplay is a winner of the G1 Queen Of The Turf over the Randwick mile, defeating Zanbagh (Aus) (Bernardini {USA}), who she will again meet here. The major stumbling block for jockey Hugh Bowman and Foxplay in the Epsom could be the outside barrier for the five-time-winning mare.
Waller's three other runners, all with chances, have had their calls answered by the internationals with the Hong Kong-based Tommy Berry and Joao Moreira riding McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) and Comin' Through (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) respectively, while triple Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss is heading back from Singapore to partner Tom Melbourne (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}). Of the trio Tom Melbourne could be the one, dropping five kilos on his narrow last start second to Comin' Through, who only drops two kilos from his G3 Bill Ritchie H. victory.
One at odds who will also appreciate a drop in weight is last season's G1 Myer Classic winner I Am A Star (NZ) (I Am Invincible {Aus}). Carrying 59 kilos when beaten just over three lengths in the G2 Let's Elope S. (1400m) at Flemington last start, the Dean Yendall-ridden mare drops to 52.5 kilos and with two wins over the mile, she could be one for the exotics.
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