Everest-winning hoop eyes The Five Diamonds
While good fortune has largely been evading Antino in Melbourne this spring, new jockey Sam Clipperton has been busy making his own luck in Sydney and he hopes it might rub off.
Clipperton celebrated the biggest moment of his career with an Everest victory aboard Think About It last month.
On Saturday at Rosehill, he will link with the Tony Gollan-trained Antino in the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) after coming on the radar for the plum ride with his Everest heroics.
“It presented from winning The Everest and it’s great to have the ride on him, he has been in great form in Melbourne without a lot of luck,” Clipperton said.
“I’ve had a few rides for him (Gollan) here and there travelling up to Queensland over the carnival, so it’s great he’s entrusted me to ride what is probably his best horse.
“Hopefully he has a bit more luck than what he’s been having on Saturday, and he should be very hard to beat.”
Antino’s woes have been well documented.
He was desperately unlucky when held up for a run first-up before atoning with a second-up Group 2 win.
He then finished runner-up in the Toorak Handicap from an outside draw and again had to settle for second to top New Zealander Prowess in the Crystal Mile last start.
The 1800m of Saturday’s assignment is fresh territory but after testing the horse in a trackwork gallop on Tuesday, Clipperton is upbeat about his prospects.
The jockey said that while sitting on a horse’s back before a first race ride wasn’t necessarily crucial, it did provide some important insights.
“Not so much to know what they’ve got under the bonnet, but more their little characteristics, what’s normal for them,” Clipperton said.
“He’s a horse with a really nice attitude. He gets up on his toes, he is obviously feeling well like he was (Tuesday) morning, but in his work he was really nice and relaxed.
“He did everything right, breathed well so the 1800 shouldn’t pose any dramas and he’s bringing some topline form into the race on Saturday.
“He’s travelled down to Melbourne, he’s got to travel up to Sydney and they’re things you could nitpick, but he feels like he’s really well and holding his form nicely.”
Clipperton is still buzzing from his Everest triumph and says winning a race of that magnitude has reinforced his confidence and self-belief.
His faith in Think About It had been unwavering, but he said for the horse to vindicate it with a victory was “mind-blowing”.
“He wasn’t a horse I picked up two weeks out or had never ridden, I’d ridden him since January, won the Stradbroke on him and to have that belief in him all the way through and for him to deliver, it was incredibly satisfying,” Clipperton said.
Antino, who has drawn barrier two, was a solid $2.90 favourite for the Five Diamonds on Thursday with Democracy Manifest at $8.50 the only other runner at single-figure odds.
More Racing News
Vein Girl impresses in rich Magic Millions The Debut win
Vein Girl has put herself in contention for next month’s $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a strong win on debut under lights at the Gold Coast’s first night meeting. The Chris and Corey Munce-trained Vein Girl was sent out the $3.50 favourite with betting sites in Friday night’s $250,000...
Pallaton races into 2025 Golden Slipper contention
Pallaton has stamped himself as a two-year-old colt to watch heading into 2025 with an impressive debut win at Randwick. Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Tommy Berry, Pallaton raced to a 2-3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Shinzo @ Coolmore Plate (1000m) and firmed to be among the early favourites in Golden Slipper...
Arriving Home set to target the Magic Millions Guineas 2025
Trainer Bjorn Baker would love to get lightly raced filly Arriving Home into the Magic Millions Guineas next month after the three-year-old remained unbeaten with a tough win at Randwick. Stepping up from a midweek city maiden win at Warwick Farm on debut earlier this month into Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap (1300m) – a...
Goldman digs deep in the Pakenham Cup 2024
One time Melbourne Cup favourite, Goldman has notched up his fourth win in Australia, leading throughout to take the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) under Beau Mertens. Jumping an $8.50 chance, Goldman’s staying prowess was on show as he kicked back to deny Grand Pierro ($19) by a long head, with $3.30 betting site...
Here To Shock gives Lindsay Park quinella in The Supernova
Ben, Will & Jd Hayes had the numbers two and three seed to knock off race-favourite Nadal in Saturday’s $1 million The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham and did just that, with Here To Shock, ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, edging stablemate Arkansaw Kid in a thrilling stable quinella. Here To Shock ($4.60) trailed a strong...
The Kings horse Gilded Water wins at Randwick
Imported stayer Gilded Water has made it back-to-back victories in Australia and has given his owner, His Majesty King Charles III, a winner at Royal Randwick. The King’s racing manager John Warren was on track at Randwick on Saturday as the Ciaron Maher-trained Gilded Water raced to a convincing victory in the...
Kevin Daffy happy to wait with Oh Too Good ahead of VOBIS Gold Bullion
Trainer Kevin Daffy says there is still plenty of time to chase the big league with his lightly-raced mare Oh Too Good. A winner of four of her seven starts with three runner-up finishes as well, Oh Too Hard runs in the VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) at Pakenham on Saturday. Daffy was sounded...
Bedggood chases rich The Supernova prize
Two rising nine-year-olds, both resuming, will give Gavin Bedggood a potential shot at his biggest payday as a trainer. A former jockey, Bedggood has been plying his trade as a trainer since 2017 and during the recent Melbourne Spring Carnival prepared Mornington Glory to land his first Group 1 success. Just Folk and Windstorm, both...
Collett hoping for Dream Brisbane raid in BJ McLachlan Stakes and Magic Millions Falvelon
A pair of promising two-year-olds from the Ciaron Maher stable have lured top Sydney hoop Jason Collett to Queensland for back-to-back meetings this weekend. Collett is heading north to partner filly Life After Love in the $250,000 Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) at the Gold Coast on Friday night and her Maher-trained stablemate...
Theodore aims to keep strike-rate going in Christmas Cup at Murray Bridge
Trainer Stephen Theodore is looking to Divine Fire keeping his impressive strike-rate going when she shoots for a winning hat-trick on Saturday. After victories at Morphettville and Gawler, Divine Fire runs in the Christmas Cup (1600m) at Murray Bridge with Jacob Opperman in the saddle. Since returning to training ranks at the start of...