Last year’s winner Happy Clapper is included among the nominations for the 2019 Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on Day One of The Championships on April 6.

Happy Clapper, above, is among the nominations for the 2019 Doncaster Mile at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Happy Clapper, above, is among the nominations for the 2019 Doncaster Mile at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

One hundred and seventy-nine horses were nominated for the 2019 Doncaster Mile with Happy Clapper the only entry from the Pat Webster stable.

Happy Clapper has competed in the last three runnings of the Doncaster Mile and after finishing second to Winx in 2016 and then second to It’s Somewhat in 2017, the Teofilo gelding was able to claim the major prize in 2018.

The powerful Godolphin stable won the Doncaster Mile with It’s Somewhat two years ago under the guidance of trainer John O’Shea before the training duties were taken over by James Cummings.

Cummings has a strong contingent among the Doncaster Mile nominations with the stable warhorse Hartnell heading the brigade which includes Alizee, Avilius, Best Of Days, Encryption, Kementari, and Ranier.

Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller has won the Doncaster Mile on six occasions, his latest with Winx in 2016, and has nominated a massive forty-five horses for this year’s race.

Waller’s high profile horses among the nominations are D’Argento, Egg Tart, Fiesta, Lean Mean Machine, Ringerdingding, Shillelagh, The Autumn Sun, Tom Melbourne and Unforgotten.

The huge Lindsay Park operation under David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig also have huge nominations for the Doncaster Mile numbering twenty-nine horses.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.