Darren Weir has Lucky Hussler and Stratum Star in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field and the leading Victorian trainer is happy with both horses ahead of the Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.
Lucky Hussler is on of two Darren Weir-trained runners in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Lucky Hussler returned to the races with a solid fourth behind Churchill Dancer in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 12 and Weir believes that the Husson gelding has trained on strongly ahead of the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, but he does not believe that the six-year-old will be at his peak until his third-up run.
“Lucky Hussler has obviously drawn well and he has taken good benefit from his first-up run,” Weir said.
“He still has a bit to go yet and whatever he does on Saturday he will improve on.
“There looks to be really good speed on in the race and he will get a lovely run, so he will get his chance.”
Stratum Star is the other Weir-trained runner in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field and he has the chance to record a maiden win at the highest level of racing.
The Stratum entire has been in excellent form without winning this preparation after he returned to the races with a fast-finishing seventh in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 15 and he was only narrowly denied in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on August 29, but Weir believes that the four-year-old will need plenty of luck in running after he was allocated barrier 18 when the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field was released yesterday afternoon.
“It is disappointing with the draw of the other fellow drawn out wide, but there is not much you can do about it,” Weir said.
“I’m not sure what we will do, but I will talk to Peter who helps us with our form and see how we tackle it.
“He ran well in all of them and this is the race that we have targeted all preparation.
“He is in the right order, but he has a bit of a hurdle to get over with the barrier.
“I couldn’t be happier with the order of him; he is very sound, very fit and very well.”
Stratum Star is currently on the third line of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes betting market with Ladbrokes at $7, while Lucky Hussler is currently available at 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes odds of $11.
