Happy Clapper has ticket to BC Mile, if wanted

Happy Clapper won his second Group 1 race of 2018 with Saturday’s $2.31 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick Racecourse in Australia, earning a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs in November.

There was no immediate indication Happy Clapper would be considered for the race, but he has a berth, if nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the time pre-entries are accepted in October.

Happy Clapper, ridden by Blake Shinn, was always near the front in the Doncaster Mile. A 4-1 chance, Happy Clapper led early and retook the lead in the stretch to win by two lengths over 18-1 Comin Through. Kementari, the 9-5 favorite, raced in traffic in the stretch and finished 10th, four lengths behind Happy Clapper, a 7-year-old Australian-bred gelding by Teofilo.

Happy Clapper won the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes on March 18 and was second to the world-famous Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes on March 24. Happy Clapper and Winx may have a rematch in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 14.

Happy Clapper was second in the Doncaster Mile in 2016 and 2017.

There were three other Group 1 turf races on an outstanding Randwick card Saturday.

In the $1.925 million T.J. Smith at six furlongs, Trapeze Artist, a 7-1 chance ridden by Tye Angland, beat 6-5 favorite Redzel for his second Group 1 win. A 3-year-old by Snitzel, Trapeze Artist won the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs last September.
A nose separated 5-1 Levendi and 4-1 co-favorite Ace High in the $1.4 million Australian Derby at 1 1/2 miles. Angland, who rode Ace High, lodged an objection into the stretch run, alleging interference by Levendi, but the claim was disallowed.

Levendi, who was ridden by Mark Zahra, is a 25-1 shot in the future-book to win the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse in Australia on Nov. 6.

The shock result of the day occurred in the $770,200 Inglis Sires’ Stakes when 80-1 El Dorado Dreaming edged 9-5 Oohood at the wire of the seven-furlong race for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds. Ridden by Damian Lane, El Dorado Dreaming won for the first time in the Inglis Sires’ Stakes, his stakes debut.