Randwick races: Sam Clipperton reunites with classy Star of the Seas in Winx Stakes
Doncaster Handicap runner up Star of the Seas is back and jockey Sam Clipperton is hoping the impressive six-year-old can help him break a frustrating G1 run in the Winx Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
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Sam Clipperton’s effort on Star Of The Seas in the Doncaster Mile is a contender for ride of the year – and they didn’t win!
Star Of The Seas came from near last on the turn, Clipperton weaving a path through the packed field before bursting out of the ruck near the inside rail only to finish a close second, beaten by Nettoyer who was much wider out on the Randwick track.
For the talented young jockey, the Doncaster near-miss during The Championships back in April was a bitter-sweet moment.
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“I think that was probably the ride of my career without actually winning the race,’’ Clipperton said.
“After we crossed the line, I was so happy for my best mate, Jimmy (James Innes, rider of Nettoyer) to win the race but then I was also very disappointed to be oh so close to winning the Doncaster.
“Star Of The Seas was my ninth Group 1 second since I’ve last won one. It has been a bit of a slog, but that’s ok, it means I’m knocking on the door.’’
Clipperton is hoping he can end his Group 1 drought – and avenge the Doncaster defeat – when he links with Star Of The Seas in the $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Star Of The Seas, among trainer Chris Waller’s four starters in the Winx Stakes, is rated at $23 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the first Group 1 race of the new season. Kiwi raider The Bostonian is a firming $5.50 favourite ahead of the Team Hawkes-trained Master Of Wine at $6.50 with another of the Waller quartet, Verry Ellegant at $7.
“It’s exciting to be back on board Star Of The Seas,’’ he said.
“He has proven to be a topline performer and there is a big race, particularly a big handicap, in this horse.
“Although this is a very competitive Group 1 race, I believe he can run very well. He has trialled nicely, he likes soft tracks, and performs fresh.
“Last campaign, he won the Maurice McCarten Stakes first-up at 1100m so he should have plenty of dash in his legs for 1400m.
“He will need to be on his A-game but I see no reason why he can’t be very competitive.’’
Clipperton has also picked up the prized ride on boom filly See You Soon when she resumes in the Group 2 $200,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).
See You Soon is the $3.40 favourite after a very impressive barrier trial effort last week when she surged through late to finish a close fifth behind Invictus Salute.
“I hadn’t seen a lot of the filly in the flesh before I rode her in the trial and she surprised me, she is bigger than I thought. She is quite big and strong and has a lot of attitude as well,’’ Clipperton said.
“She has her quirks but along with that she has a serious engine. She gave me a great feel in the trial, she seems very forward and with even luck at the right time she is going to be very hard to beat.’’
See You Soon, winner of the Kirkham Plate, runner-up in the Reisling Stakes and Golden Gift, and a third placegetter in the Percy Sykes Stakes during an impressive five-start juvenile season, is not the most reliable of beginners in her races but Clipperton is not overly concerned going into the Silver Shadow Stakes.
“We can’t go out with too much of a plan because of how she does begin,’’ Clkipperton admitted.
“One day she will jump clean the next she will want to miss it so I am aware of that and it’s not worrying me too much.
“From barrier one we will probably be in the back half depending on the speed but I know that what she does have is an incredible turn of foot.’’
Clipperton has five good rides at the Randwick meeting – including three for the all-powerful Waller stable – which the jockey hopes signals a change of fortune for him going into the Sydney spring carnival.
“I’ve been finding it hard to get city rides in the last few weeks,’’ he said.
“That’s no one’s fault, it’s just that in my opinion the Sydney jockeys room is one of the best in the world, it is seriously competitive and I guess I need to prove myself again, wait my turn a little bit.
“At the same time, I’m really hungry to succeed and hopefully one of these horses on Saturday can stick their head out for me.
“I feel like I’m riding really well and once I get the opportunities I’m very confident in my ability to get the job done. As frustrating as it is, I know how quickly it can all turn around so I just have to keep turning up.’’
Star turn: Waller takes Fun out of Winx Stakes
The punters came for star mare Funstar on Wednesday ahead of the Group 1 Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday but she was scratched from the race by late afternoon.
Trainer Chris Waller had the Flight Stakes winner accepted for the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) on the same day and opted to go for the easier task with the filly even though she firmed in from $9 to $5.50 in the Winx Stakes.
She’s a solid $3.10 favourite for the Show County Quality, which meant stablemate Verry Elleegant assumed equal $6.50 favouritism for the big Group 1 alongside with Master Of Wine.
TAB’s Trent Langskaill said the star studded-field, which features eight horses with a rating of 110 or more, has produced a great race for the punters to sink their teeth into as the week goes on.
“The Winx Stakes promises to be a fascinating betting contest thanks to the quality of the field for the first Group 1 of the new racing season,” Langskaill said.
“The best-backed horses in TAB’s All-In market, opened Monday, were The Bostonian ($11 in to $6), Dreamforce ($11 in to $8) and Melody Belle ($11 in to $8) including one bet of $4000 at $11 on Melody Belle.
JUST IN: A crackerjack field of 16 plus two emergencies has assembled for the first Group 1 of the season - the $500,000 Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick! 👀 pic.twitter.com/xjN4zgwSNP
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 19, 2020
In another feature on the day, the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m), it’s a bush horse that has been backed by punters.
Goulburn’s See You Soon, trained by Jean Dubois, is the $3.50 favourite after opening at $3.60 and second favourite Dame Giselle remained at $4 after drawing gate nine of 10.
As the spring contenders kick-off their campaigns on Saturday, a couple of winners from Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting might be joining them over the carnival.
Raison D’etre is going places after she hammered a field by three lengths that included Elizabeel while Richard Litt might have found his next top colt with Black Duke.
Raison D'etre pinned the ears back and put them away in R2 at Canterbury for @godolphin and @mcacajamez pic.twitter.com/PizO7SgUmm
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 19, 2020
By Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, the three-year-old exploded late over the top of odds-on pop Cat D’oro to win in exciting fashion over 1200m.
He’s a horse that naturally will only get better over 1600m and more.
“Hopefully the world is his oyster,” Litt said. “He’s a little bit hard to handle but he’s always shown a lot of promise and I’m delighted he’s done it today.”
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