3 minute read

Top trainer Will Clarken will saddle up almost a third of the field in search of a maiden Balaklava Cup victory today.

Clarken has five of the 16 runners in the time honoured provincial feature that has so far eluded him finishing second with Tatoosh in 2018 and up again with Second Slip last year's edition.

"I've always had a love for the track, I rode a couple of winners there, I don't know, there is something about the day and I want to win the race,'' Clarken said on his Stable Show Podcast.

Jamie Kah returns home to ride Agreeable and Clarken is hoping a change of routine can turn around a couple of disappointing runs.

"She's a very small filly and you instinctively don't want to work her too hard, she doesn't carry too much weight, and I think I might be getting that wrong,'' Clarken said.

"We've bored the work up her, she's had a jump-out between runs and had a very solid gallop Tuesday morning.

"They're going to go a good gallop in this race which is the key to her chances.

"I like the fact Jamie has won on her, she's a bit of thinker.

"We know there will be good speed in it, we've got a couple who will roll forward and they've both drawn sticky gates,'' he said.

Noname Lane jumps sharply in distance after Clarken was successful in getting the horses confidence back after failing interstate.

"He's an interesting runner,'' Clarken said.

"He failed at Caulfield when we thought he was a good chance.

"We've freshened him right up, I like when a horse fails to let them balance them up and run past them to get some confidence up again.

"He's just on the cusp of being able to win a race like this at his absolute best, the gate is going to make it hard, it's going need a very good Todd Pannell ride,'' he said.

Hidden Legend is on the quick turn around from a win at Morphettville on Saturday.

"You'd say the horse is has got no hope of getting the mile if it wasn't on the quick back-up,'' Clarken said.

"He's come through that terrifically well, he's going to get a nice run and he's got some each-way chance,'' he said.

Zoulah comes off a good run beaten 1.2 lengths behind Dalasan.

"She was a little bit stiff in the Leon Macdonald, we've given her a jump-out and she's a mare who is screwed right down for the race,''' Clarken said.

He's Exclusive is likely to roll forward and will appreciate a big drop in the weights.

"He'll be bowling along, he's sound and fit,'' Clarken said.