Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m)
The Epsom Handicap highlights a blockbuster card of racing at Royal Randwick this Saturday with an elite field gathering to contest the Group 1 over the famous Randwick mile.
Dissecting the main chances and punters feel Happy Clapper may finally be able to secure that elusive Group 1 victory, the seven-year-old gelding well supported in early markets having firmed from $3.60 to his current quote of $3.00 and favourite. It’s not hard to understand why either, with Pat Webster’s star galloper seemingly in career best form having produced a tough win first up in the Tramway before beating all home bar the super mare Winx in the George Main Stakes a fortnight ago. Absolutely loves the course and distance, having finished no worse than fourth in five outings, including two runner-up finishes in the past two Doncasters. Despite being charged with the top weight of 57kg he still looks relatively well in here and is no doubt the one they all have to beat.
Dubbed by many as ‘the next Winx,’ the Chris Waller mare Egg Tart looms as the main danger to Happy Clapper and currently sits on the second line of betting at $6.00 with BlueBet. Fresh off a superb winter campaign, culminating in a dominant win in the QLD Oaks, Egg Tart comes to Randwick second up off a sound effort in the Theo Marks where she ran home for second behind the red-hot Deploy. Out to the mile now, strips fitter and with Kerrin McEvoy aboard she certainly ticks a lot of boxes and will be charging at them late.
Tom Melbourne and Comin Through both sit on the next line at $8.00 and come through the same lead-up in the Bill Ritchie (1400m) a fortnight ago. It was Comin Through who got the upper hand that day, but the punters have sided with Tom Melbourne in early betting with the enigmatic galloper being given a slight turn in from $9.00-$8.00. Tom Melbourne meets Happy Clapper 3kg better off at the weights from when they met in the Tramway and if Glen Boss can navigate an economical run from barrier 13 he certainly could be worth a play at the each-way odds.
Asked who he was siding with in Saturday’s Group 1, BlueBet’s Michael Sullivan said that the upside of Egg Tart is hard to ignore.
“Egg Tart looks a star in the making,” says Sullo. “She swept all before her through the winter and I was really impressed with her return in the Theo Marks behind Deploy. Chris will have her cherry ripe for this and if she gets a chance to unleash her devastating turn of foot I think she’ll be winning this.”
Looking for one outside of the market, Sullo feels that the John Thompson trained Zanbagh is primed to run well. “She’s a pretty honest mare on her day and her win last time out in the Tibbie at Newcastle was very impressive. She ran a bottler fourth up last prep in the Coolmore Legacy so with a repeat of that performance I think she’s a got an each way chance.”
For the latest Epsom Handicap odds, click here.
