Happy Clapper Heads 2016 Doncaster Mile First Acceptances

Patrick Webster’s smart five-year-old Happy Clapper sits number one on the 2016 Doncaster Mile ballot after 75 first acceptances were taken by Racing NSW for the April 2 classic on Tuesday.

Happy Clapper sits number one on the 2016 Doncaster Mile ballot after first acceptances closed this week. Photo: Steve Hart.

One of four elite level features on Day 1 of Sydney’s ‘The Championships’ at Randwick Racecourse this autumn, the $3 million Group 1 The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) originally attracted 163 nominations.

That figure was cut to 75 at first declaration stage this week, down from 80 this time last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Leading the Doncaster Mile order of entry is Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) winner at the track and distance from December, Teofilo five-year-old Happy Clapper.

The galloper returned with a fast-finishing fourth to Holler in last Saturday’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m), the ideal Doncaster Mile trial ahead of his step back up to the 1600m.

Happy Clapper currently pays around $11 in futures Doncaster Mile betting at bookmakers around the country and is allocated a lightweight of just 50.5kg.

Second on the ballot and one of the early favourites in the all-in Doncaster Mile odds is Chris Waller’s champion mare Winx, who could instead target the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) over 400m further the following Saturday, April 9.

The bookies are keeping the Cox Plate winner safe in the Doncaster markets however after Winx, allocated 56.5kg, won the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) on February 27 at Randwick as the odds-on favourite.

Chris Waller has dominated the Doncaster Mile results in recent years preparing five winners since 2008 including the past three on the trot with dual champ Sacred Falls (2013-14) and Kermadec (2015) 12 months ago.

His best hope this year of making it four straight is early $5 – $5.50 favourite Press Statement.

Getting in on 54kg, the Hinchinbrook colt is looking to go back-to-back for the three-year-olds.

Winner of the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in the spring, his second Group 1 success over the mile, Press Statement kicked off his campaign with a smart win in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

Things came undone last weekend however when he went down a neck as the beaten odds-on favourite in a boilover, beaten home by Le Romain in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) from a wide barrier 12 of 13 draw.

The other best fancied Doncaster Mile first acceptor is First Seal (53kg) for John Thompson, the four-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock coming off two good runs this time in.

Winner of the 2014 Flight Stakes where she beat home Winx at the Randwick mile, First Seal also won the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) first-up this prep before her brave second in the Canterbury Stakes.

Along with Press Statement and Winx, Waller meanwhile still has another 15 runners still in the Doncaster Mile mix.

Included in his charge is the reigning champion Kermadec out to successfully defend his title and emulate Sacred Falls.

Some of Waller’s other hopes include Chipping Norton fourth placegetter Preferment and three-year-old Redoute’s Choice colt Counterattack.

Also high up the Doncaster Mile ballot currently include Murray Baker’s last start Futurity Stakes winner in Melbourne Turn Me Loose who is equal third with Kermadec and the Gerald Ryan-trained mare Suavito (5^th) who runs in this weekend’s Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington.

See below for the full Doncaster Mile 2016 first declarations, ballot and weights with final acceptances closing on Tuesday March 29.

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2016 Doncaster Mile First Acceptances

Randwick Racecourse – 02/04/2016