‘Class horse’: Jockey Tim Clark to make early spring statement aboard Shangri La Express, Dawn Service

Jockey Tim Clark can spring into the new racing season when he partners smart colts Shangri La Express and Dawn Service on Rosebud day at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Jockey Tim Clark is confident smart colts Shangri La Express and Dawn Service both have what it takes to make an early spring statement on Rosebud day at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.

Clark will team up with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to pilot both promising gallopers as Tulloch Lodge looks to convert on a stellar juvenile season with some quality three-year-olds.

Shangri La Express will make his return from a break in the Listed $200,000 Rosebud (1100m).

The son of Alabama Express was one of Waterhouse and Bott’s early two-year-old winners last season and was a winner of the Golden Gift last November.

He finished second in the Pierro Plate and third in the Group 2 Todman Stakes before only beating one runner home in the Golden Slipper.

The talented Shangri La Express takes out the @inglis_sales Golden Gift. ✨@[e-mail]/OHIgsNosof

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 11, 2023

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Shangri La Express has been set a task in his first run back from a back after being slugged with a 60kg topweight against his own age.

But Clark believes it’s a challenge he will be up to.

“He has probably earnt the weight and it just goes to show he is probably the class horse of the field,” Clark said.

“He has to give that race fitness away to a couple of them as well so it’s not an easy task for him but I feel he is well and truly up to it.

“Hopefully he can put his hand up there on Saturday and land the first blow in terms of a Golden Rose prospect.”

Clark takes over from Regan Bayliss, who partnered Shangri La Express in all five of his two-year-old starts.

A pair of trials this time in have allowed Clark to get a better feel for Shangri La Express in the lead up to his return.

Jockey Tim Clark will steer Shangri La Express and Dawn Service for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

“I haven’t ridden Shangri La Express on raceday before but I feel he has developed in his break,” Clark said.

“He is a more furnished horse now.

“I was happy with his trials. They ran pretty sharp time in his latest and he probably just felt the pinch a bit late.

“He has had a couple of strong gallops since then but he goes to the races a bit forward.”

Shangri La Express had his price slashed in half and is a $7 chance to kick off his spring on a high note in the Rosebud against promising colts Tarpaulin ($3.30) and Gatsby’s ($3.90).

Waterhouse and Bott have gone down a different path with Dawn Service, who is one of the more expensive and potentially valuable horses to line up this weekend.

A $1.4 million yearling buy, the colt is a son of Justify out of multiple Group 1 winner Sunlight.

Sold!
$1.4 million for the Justify colt from Sunlight. Offered by @CoolmoreAus he is purchased by @GaiWaterhouse1 and Adrian Bott. #MMGC2023pic.twitter.com/8VyS07n84I

— Magic Millions (@mmsnippets) January 12, 2023

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He is having just his third start in the Schweppes Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m).

“He is getting better each run and still does a few little things wrong,” Clark said.

“He has got good talent and that will obviously take him a long way.”

Dawn Service showed a glimpse of his talent with all the way effort to break his maiden at Hawkesbury last start.

“He appreciated getting out a little bit in trip at Hawkesbury,” Clark said.

“The blinkers went on and they did job sharpening him up and keeping him focused.

“He won really impressively at Hawkesbury, albeit he got all the favours and was probably entitled to win like he did.

“He ran good time and ran through the line really strongly so I am really happy with that performance and hopefully he can do something similar on Saturday.”

Dawn Service gets straight to the front and runs away with it! 🔥@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/QbcTSsCp7H

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 1, 2024

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Clark has a strong book across the card with two of his better chances coming for Goulburn trainer Matt Dale.

No Drama ($7) is chasing a winning hat-trick in the TAB Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) while Super Norwest ($6) will look to end a run of near misses in the TAB Highway Handicap (1300m).

“No Drama is going well,” Clark said.

“It’s harder and he maybe got the favours there at Canterbury but he did it pretty tough.

“I think stepping out to 1400m will suit him. He’s got a good style.

“Matt (Dale’s) other mare Super Norwest has been racing very consistently. 1300m first time may be a question mark but I think it’s worth a try.”

Originally published as ‘Class horse’: Jockey Tim Clark to make early spring statement aboard Shangri La Express, Dawn Service