Cliff Brown’s talented four-year-old Sepals will attempt to join an elite group of gallopers when he contests the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield this weekend.
Fresh from his determined victory in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on September 20, Sepals will bid to become the first horse since Trust In A Gust in 2014 — and just the third since 2005 — to claim the famous double.
Brown has taken a measured approach since that win, giving his gelding several quiet days before stepping up training again, confident the horse has recovered well from the demanding run.
“He had a really tough run in the Sir Rupert Clarke,” Brown said. “He stumbled badly out of the gates and still managed to push forward and sit outside the leader. It showed just how much grit he’s got.”
Regular rider Ethan Brown is back aboard after missing the Group 1, with Brown pleased to have the pair reunited at Caulfield where they’ve already combined successfully this campaign.
“He knew he’d had a good hit-out that night and we gave him four days to relax,” Brown said. “He’s a horse who bounces back quickly, and he’s been thriving at Mornington since.”
Sepals has been kept at Mornington rather than taking part in the traditional Caulfield gallop on Tuesday, a decision Brown says works best for his style of training.
“Sometimes it’s just better to keep them in their rhythm. Horses go to big tracks they’ve never seen before all the time and still perform,” he said.
While confidence is high, Brown admits stretching out to a mile is the lingering question. Sepals has only tackled 1600m once before, finishing fourth in the Australian Guineas.
“The mile is the unknown,” he said. “He’ll need to see it out, but he’s stronger this prep and we’re hoping that carries him through.”
Sepals also holds a nomination for the Golden Eagle, a race Brown admits would be hard to ignore if his gelding continues to progress.
“He doesn’t have to win the Toorak — just run well — and that’ll give us plenty to think about,” he said.
Punters can back Sepals or check odds for the Toorak Handicap through Australia’s leading betting sites.
