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Happy Clapper has become the first seven-year-old since Super Impose to win the Epsom Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.
A four time Group 1 placegetter heading into the Group 1, Happy Clapper was well fancied to win the prestigious mile event after winning the Tramway first up before a second to Winx in the George Main Stakes.
Clearly the class horse in the Epsom Handicap, he prevailed by a half length over Tom Melbourne who once again had a tendency to overrace and struck trouble in the straight.
The victory provided Pat Webster with his first Group 1 success and also gave seven-year-old’s their first win in the Epsom Handicap since Super Impose in 1991.
Happy Clapper recorded those pieces of history with an Epsom victory which produced a Timeform rating of 125.
125 is the equal highest winning figure of an Epsom alongside 2016 winner Hauraki since Racing To Win claimed the 2006 renewal with a display assessed at 126.
The similarities between Happy Clapper going into this year’s Epsom Handicap compared to Hauraki were uncanny.
They each won the Tramway first up by three quarters of a length before running second in the George Main, beaten 1.3 lengths behind Winx.
The runner up Tom Melbourne was again frustrating for followers and has now finished second in each of his four career outings since arriving at the Chris Waller stable.
The son of Dylan Thomas overraced early and was held up badly in the straight.
Two other Group 1’s were conducted at Randwick on Saturday with the first of them the Flight Stakes (1600m) won by the James Cummings-trained Alizee.
Strong in the Tea Rose Stakes a fortnight earlier, Alizee found another level at Randwick last Saturday and became the 15th filly to claim the Tea Rose Stakes – Flight Stakes double.
Alizee joins an impressive list of fillies to have claimed the double with those to have achieved the feat since the turn of the century First Seal (2014), Streama (2011), More Joyous (2009), Samantha Miss (2008), Cheeky Choice (2006), Ha Ha (2001) and Unwordly (2000).
Her display was awarded a Timeform rating of 118 which represents an above average winning figure for the event, the highest since First Seal ran to 122 when beating Winx in the 2014 renewal.
The Thousand Guineas in a fortnight’s time is next for Alizee.
Guelph in 2013 and Global Glamour two years later in 2015 each claimed that double. On what Alizee did last Saturday, she’ll do it too.
The Metropolitan was the last of the Group 1’s conducted through a bumper Epsom Day program.
It was the Lloyd Williams-raced Foundry who thrived with his lightweight giving the leviathan owner his second Metropolitan win after Seville won in 2013.
Foundry’s success also provided Michael Dee with a maiden Group 1 victory.
The son of Galileo had performed well leading into the Metropolitan following a 12 month spell after a short two run 2016 spring prep.
Foundry has improved with each run this campaign with his Metropolitan performance returning a Timeform rating of 109.
Encouraging about this is the UK import is still performing noticeably below his peak.
Possessing a master Timeform rating of 117 yielded when fifth in the 2013 Group 1 St Leger Stakes at Doncaster, Foundry’s best Australian performance came when second in the 2014 Blamey Stakes (1600m) behind Lidari.
There is room for Foundry to produce further improvement as he continues on a Cups path still early in his campaign off what was a generous spell.
The Caulfield Cup is likely next for Foundry with the last horse to claim the Metropolitan – Caulfield Cup double Tawqeet in 2006.
Big Duke also enhanced his Cups claims by running second in the Metropolitan.
Giving Foundry 4.5kg, Big Duke was only beaten half a length and yielded a Timeform rating of 118.
In Her Time turned heads first up by taking out the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m).
The daughter of Time Thief accounted for a strong field of sprinters and in the process returned a new career peak Timeform rating of 118.
It augers well for the rest of her spring campaign and while she wasn’t able to secure a start in The Everest (1200m) at Randwick next fortnight, In Her Time could take beating in the consolation event, the revamped Listed Lightning Stakes now worth $500,000.
The first two-year-old events of the season were conducted early in the program with the Breeders’ Plate and the Gimcrack Stakes each over 1000m.
The Breeders’ Plate was run over a second quicker than the Gimcrack so it is advantage the boys at this stage of the season.
Performer took out the event with a performance assessed at 115, equal to the figure Capitalist ran to when winning the 2015 renewal prior to claiming the Breeders’ Plate – Golden Slipper double.
He is one of four to have claimed the double in the past decade along with Sebring (2006), Pierro (2011) and Vancouver (2014).
Satin Slipper claimed the Gimcrack Stakes and returned a Timeform rating of 104.
By Pierro out of Silver Slipper winner Satin Shoes, Satin Slipper is bred to be an early running type.
She proved this last Saturday and can certainly improve on her debut rating with further experience.