Group 1 winner Sepals remains on course for a Queensland raid under trainer Cliff Brown.

Last spring, the gelding secured the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, Brown’s debut Group 1 win since resuming in Australia post his 2021 Singapore spell.

Focus lies on the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm come June 13, with Brown ready to cease activities if the four-year-old isn’t fully fit.

Von Hauke’s Listed Golden Mile (1600m) victory at Bendigo on Saturday positions the stable with a possible second Stradbroke aspirant.

First-up fourth in Flemington’s Newmarket Handicap (1200m), Sepals then travelled to Sydney as favourite for Rosehill’s Doncaster Prelude (1500m) on March 28.

The gelding lacked sharpness then, per Brown, who cited a burdensome weight and a track softened by Sydney Carnival usage, and Sepals stayed off-form in Melbourne.

Plans for Randwick’s Group 1 All-Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 18 were shelved in favour of a short paddock holiday.

“He had 10 days off and he’s come back in tremendous order,” Brown said.

“He just wasn’t himself, but he seems right now.

“I don’t think he appreciated the track up in Sydney, but just afterwards when we got him home, he just wasn’t himself.

“We know him intimately and he wasn’t right.

“I gave him a jump-out, which was OK, without being great, but then he had the 10 days off and I thought, if he’s OK, we’ll be able to continue on and if he’s not, we’ll go to the paddock.

“At this point he seems good and if he’s right, we’ll head up to Queensland, and he can have a run at the end of the month with the aim of hopefully getting him to the Stradbroke.”

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