A prospect of race favourite Lady Shenandoah being scratched from Saturday’s (19 September) Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield has been avoided after the mare drew a favourable draw in the Group 1 feature.

Waller had threatened to withdraw the three-time Group 1 winner and instead leave her in Sydney to race if she drew an outside barrier, but she will jump from gate one.

“I’d like to see a good draw, it’s a long way to come if she’s going to draw wide,” Waller said. “She ran in the Manikato this time last year and had no luck from the wide draw.”

Lady Shenandoah drew the extreme outside barrier in last year’s G1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) and finished fourth at short odds when trapped wide.

Waller has three of the runners in the 16-horse capacity field, and is hoping for a smoother run for Angel Capital, who was desperately unlucky not to win last year’s edition of the race.

Conditions and race tactics are expected to favour Angel Capital, who needs a maiden Group 1 victory to enhance his value as a stallion prospect.

Waller was happy with the son of Harry Angel’s second-up performance in the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), when he finished 10th, beaten around five-and-three-quarter lengths after jockey Ben Melham said the five-year-old over-raced and didn’t like the soft Caulfield track.

“Speed, good track, he’s ready to go,” Waller said of Saturday’s assignment. “His run in the Memsie was good, it was just tempo-related and soft track. He’s more tractable now and doing everything right.

“It looks like he’s got a good weight. Obviously, had no luck in it last year. I’ve been happy with his runs, and he should be ready to peak third up on Saturday.

“We’ve got to win that Group 1, he was very unlucky in it last year.”

Waller’s other runner, Sun God, is rated as an outsider, but he said the former European galloper has excelled since being campaigned as a sprinter.

“He’s done nothing wrong since being in Australia. We actually learned he’s a sprinter not a stayer. Since he’s been trained that way, he’s been lethal fresh and putting a good record together,” Waller said.

Tom Kitten is top weight with 130lb and is aiming for his fourth Group 1. His chances are helped by a record of a win and a second from his three attempts at the track and distance.

Sam Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Anthony, admitted that Tom Kitten did little in his first-up run when finishing 11th of 12 in the G1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

“He’ll have a big weight, but I think good speed will suit. First-up, he didn’t really have a run, so he’s still got some freshness in him,” Freedman said.

Former European galloper Warnie has gathered plenty of support after the six-year-old gelding’s last start Group 3 victory at Sandown over 1300m.

Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said it was a dominant win.

“To see Warnie have a few lengths to make up, quicken the way he did, then ease down late, it was impressive,” he said.

Regal Award goes into the race first-up and Tommy Stokes, who trains in partnership with his father Phillip, believes the Group 3 1400m winner has his best chance of a maiden Group 1 success.

“Both trials have been super and he’ll go into next Saturday pretty cherry ripe,” Stokes said.

In a race with many chances, last year’s winner Sepals tackles the 1400m first-up for trainer Cliff Brown, who will also saddle Von Hauke in the race.

The barrier draw wasn’t kind to co-trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes after the talented Evaporate drew barrier 17 and War Machine barrier 18.

The G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) is carded as S1-9 and will be run at 2.50pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 19 September.

Photo: Bradley Photo