James Doyle Flies In To Ride Jungle Cat In Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Godolphin’s England based jockey James Doyle will make a flying visit to Melbourne to ride the Charlie Appleby trained Jungle Cat in the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes(1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Doyle has been aboard Jungle Cat for two of his recent three wins at Meydan in Dubai and includes his last start victory in the Group 1 US$1m Al Quoz Sprint(1200m)  on March 31.

Appleby and Doyle are no strangers to Australian racing with both visiting the winner’s stall on numerous occasions in previous visits and have a great chance to team up for a Group 1 win at Caulfield on Saturday.

“We are fortunate at Godolphin to retain two world-class jockeys, who we can send to any country when required,” Appleby told the Godolphin website.

“James knows Australian racing well and he has won a Group One on Jungle Cat.”

Jungle Cat will start as one of the top fancies for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes after drawing barrier seven in the capacity field of fifteen plus four emergencies.

The Godolphin royal blue colours will also be carried by the James Cummings trained Home Of The Brave and Osborne Bulls in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Home Of The Brave has drawn barrier ten with Mark Zahra taking over the reins from Glyn Schofield who rode the English import to an all the way win in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes(1300m) at Rosehill on September 8.

Craig Williams will stick with Osborne Bulls (barrier 8) who is coming off a first up win in the Listed $120,000 Lister Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 18.

Darren Weir’s three acceptors weren’t given any favours at the barrier draw with Land Of Plenty coming up with the fifteen marble, Peaceful State wasn’t much better with fourteen while the second emergency Ozi Choice also has a double digit number with barrier twelve.

Damian Lane finds himself back aboard Land Of Plenty who is a winner of three of his last four starts, including a last start win for Mark Zahra over his stablemate Peaceful State in the Listed $120,000 Bendigo Bank Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 8.

Lane was aboard Land Of Plenty three starts back for his win in the Group 3 $250,000 Robert & Fay Gerard R A Lee Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on May 19 while Ben Allen held the reins when second to Osborne Bulls at Caulfield. Dean Yendall takes over from John Allen on Peaceful State.

The Team Hawkes trained Showtime has drawn the rails with Dwayne Dunn in the saddle again while Mr Sneaky was out of luck at the barrier draw, ending up with gate seventeen for Jye McNeil.

– horseracing.com.au

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