Group 1 racing continues this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival at Caulfield Racecourse today, Saturday September 18^th, with Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day 2021 and below we look at the current race scratchings and track report for the meeting.

Caulfield Track Report – 18/09/2021

Melbourne Racing Club              

• Rail: Out 6m Entire Circuit
• Weather: Overcast
• Dual Track Meeting: N
• Track Type: Turf
• Track Rating: Good (4)
• General Comment: Finalised 18/9 – 7:45am
• Irrigation: nil last 24 hours, 8mm last 7 days
• Rainfall: 2mm last 24 hours, 10.6mm last 7 days
• Track Information: Inspection 6:30AM 18/9; Going Stick is 8.4, shear factor of 8.9. Soil moisture is 21.7%

The weather in Melbourne today has showers forecast across the afternoon meaning there could be a downgrade to the current Good (4) Caulfield track report.

Caulfield racing gets underway at 12:30pm (AEST) with the nine-race card scheduled to continue through until the mares do battle in the Group 3 How Now Stakes at 5:25pm (AEST) where Miss Albania (14) is the sole scratching from the card closer.

The first of the Group status races has the three-year-old Thousand Guineas-bound fillies doing battle in the Group 2 Prelude in Race 3 with Heresy in the Royal Blue of Godolphin the one to beat.

Next-up the colts and geldings have their turn in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Race 4) and with Cape Breton (2) out there are nine remaining led in betting by the rails-drawn Queensland Alpine Edge.

A 2021 Caulfield Cup ballot exemption is up for grabs in Race 7 at 4:15pm (AEST) when the race formerly known as the Naturalism Stakes, the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) takes place with the capacity field led in betting by Nonconformist.

The feature race on the program is of course the Group 1 $1 million Neds Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Race 8) with a capacity field headlined by last year’s champion Behemoth, fellow top South Australian raider Beau Rossa and gun Cox Plate-bound mare Probabeel.

The notable scratching of the day is the Shane Nichols-trained Streets Of Avalon from the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes field, the horse showing some irregularities in his bloodwork.

The withdrawal sees the in-form Shocking four-year-old I’m Thunderstruck gain a start at single-figures in betting against the big guns.

Check out the latest Caulfield race scratchings, Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day program and jump times below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for the top racing odds and offers.

Caulfield Scratchings – 18/09/2021

• Total Scratchings: 11

Race 1 (12:30pm) – $75,000 PFD Food Services for NJT H (1200m)

• #6 Vongole (7)

Race 2 (1:05pm) – $130,000 Henley Homes for RPC H (1100m)

• No current scratchings

Race 3 (1:40pm) – Group 2 $300,000 Off the Track Community TG Prelude (1400m)

• No current scratchings

Race 4 (2:15pm) – Group 3 $300,000 Neds Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m)

• #5 Cape Breton (2)

Race 5 (2:55pm) – $130,000 Pinchapoo Plate (1000m)

• #2 Starry Legend (3)
• #10 Ashema (5)

Race 6 (3:35pm) – $130,000 4CYTE for Living Legends H (1400m)

• #12 Steel Diamond (7)

Race 7 (4:15pm) – Group 3 $200,000 Catanach’s Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup (2000m)

• #19e Zeyrek (18)

Race 8 (4:50pm) – Group 1 $1,000,000 Neds Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m)

• #3 Streets Of Avalon (14)

Race 9 (5:25pm) – Group 3 $200,000 Neds How Now Stakes (1200m)

• #8 Miss Albania (14)

*All times quoted are local (AEST) and subject to change.