Doncaster Mile tops Group 1 quartet

Forgive Happy Clapper and Kementari for their recent losses in major stakes in Australia. After all, they finished behind Winx, who has won her last 24 starts. Kementari and Happy Clapper will not face Winx in Saturday’s Group 1, $2.31 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick Racecourse outside of Sydney.

As of Wednesday, they were the two leading choices in future-book betting for a race, which is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program. The winner of the Doncaster Mile will receive a fees-paid berth for the BC Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Happy Clapper and Kementari are Group 1 winners this year who were second and third behind Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on March 24.

The Doncaster Mile is a handicap with a field of 16. Humidor will carry top weight of about 128 pounds, while Happy Clapper has been assigned 125 pounds. The 3-year-old Kementari will carry just 113 pounds.

The Doncaster Mile is one of four Group 1 races on an outstanding 10-race program that is part of the first of two weekends of major races at the meet, known as the Championships at Royal Randwick.

DRF Tournaments is hosting a two-part handicapping contest in conjunction with the Royal Randwick programs. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Sydney for the Everest Stakes program at Randwick in October. The contest is based on mythical $2 win and place bets over the two days of racing. First post for this week’s program at Randwick is 9:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday. Participants must enter the contest before the first of the two days of racing.

The Doncaster Mile is the ninth race on a 10-race program and is preceded by the $770,200 Inglis Sires’ Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at seven furlongs; the $1.4 million Australian Derby at 1 1/2 miles; and the $1.9 million T.J. Smith Stakes at six furlongs.

The filly Oohood, second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on March 24, will be a strong favorite in a field of 15 in the Inglis Sires’ Stakes. Seabrook, also a filly, was fifth in the Golden Slipper and must overcome a rail draw in the Inglis Sires’ Stakes.

Ace High, who won the Group 1 Victorian Derby at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne last November, tries to end a fourrace losing streak against 17 rivals in the Australian Derby. He was sixth behind Doncaster Mile contender D’Argento in the Rosehill Guineas at 1 1/4 miles on March 24.

The 5-year-old gelding Redzel will be a heavy favorite in the T.J. Smith Stakes. Redzel has won seven of his last eight starts, including a win in the Group 1 Everest Stakes, a $7.3 million sprint at six furlongs at Randwick last October.

In Her Time, a 5-year-old mare who won the Group 1 Galaxy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on March 24, is another contender in the Smith, which drew a field of 14.