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Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 53100 Doncaster Dream For Ironclad

Doncaster dream for Ironclad

Doncaster dream for Ironclad

Will Clarken will attempt to sneak a run in the Doncaster Mile on Saturday week with talented import Ironclad, who will step up his preparation with a serious gallop between races at Strathalbyn on Wednesday.

The Morphettville-based trainer has been rapt with the six-year-old's progress since a first-up win in the Listed Matrice Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide.

Ironclad will travel to Victoria on the weekend and have another gallop - possibly with star jockey Jamie Kah to take the reins - before connections decide whether to head north to Sydney or stay to defend his crown in the Listed Golden Mile at Bendigo.

"He's pulled up enormous," Clarken said.

"Safe to say I've got him going as good as I can.

"He's going to have a gallop between races on Wednesday and Strathalbyn and then over the weekend, whether it be Friday night or Saturday night, he'll go to one of the Maher and Eustace stables at Cranbourne or Ballarat to have another gallop there on Tuesday.

"Jamie (Kah) could gallop him and we could get her read on him before the Doncaster.

"We'll accept for the Golden Mile (at Bendigo) and the Doncaster and he'll definitely be running somewhere that weekend."

With 50kg and a rating of 100, Ironclad sits equal 47th in the ballot for the Doncaster, although Clarken remains optimistic a high attrition rate above him can pave the way for the horse to gain a start in the $3 million feature.

If he does, Clarken will need to find a new jockey, with Kah already committed to $5 Sportsbet favourite Forbidden Love.

Ironclad is rated $101 in the all-in market for the Doncaster.

"If he drew the right gate in the Doncaster and it looked like it wasn't going to be a complete gut-buster, we'd give it serious consideration," he said.

"There is a little concern that he might not make the field but we're hoping he can just scrape in.

"There was the option of taking him up there to run this weekend (in the Doncaster Prelude) and then back him up but I thought that was too much for the horse this early in his preparation."

Clarken said the G1 Memsie Stakes and G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes could be options for the Australian Bloodstock-owned import during the spring.

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Avdulla booked for Blue Diamond contender

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Black-type debut to come for unstoppable Second To Nun

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‘We're rapt with her': Clarken set to take boom SA filly to Caulfield

Boom South Australian filly Kuroyanagi is on track to compete in Saturday's Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude, but co-trainer Will Clarken won't hesitate to pull the plug if anything is even slightly off. The talented two-year-old first came under notice when superstar hoop Jamie Kah made a flying visit home to SA to partner her in a Murray Bridge jumpout last month – winning impressively – before proving a class above on debut at Gawler under Ben Price a fortnight ago. Kuroyanagi has been the subject of strong support in early betting for the Group 1 Blue Diamond – backed in from $51 to $11 – and she's set to take another step towards that target this weekend. "She'll be accepted for Morphettville and Caulfield. I'm 90 per cent sure she'll go to Caulfield, Blake Shinn will ride," Clarken, who trains in partnership with Niki O'Shea, said. "She galloped hard (at Morphettville on Saturday morning), we'll have a look at her and if everything looks all right we'll go over there." While Kuroyanagi had a relatively easy time of things at her first start – she comfortably handled a field of four – it took her a couple of days to recover. "All of our horses that ran at Gawler that day felt the track. Although they all ran well, the track was hard," Clarken said. "She felt the track a little bit but she went to the beach for a few days and her legs were as cold as ice and she's jumping out of her skin." Clarken has a big opinion of the daughter of Written Tycoon, who cost $390,000 at last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, but has made no secret of the fact he thinks she'll be even better as a three-year-old. "She's literally growing and filling out in work, so we're rapt with her, but I look at her and just think about putting her in the paddock," he said. "There's a lot to come with her, she's not a little horse that's fully matured that you really want to get to now, she's got a big future ahead of her. "When she puts her hand up and says she wants the paddock, she'll be going out." The stable is absolutely airborne at the moment with 13 winners from its past 25 runners and currently holds a three-win lead over Richard and Chantelle Jolly in the Adelaide trainers' premiership. Story from Racenet (Tom Biddington)

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Adelaide filly holds a Diamond dream

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Price's emotional honour after tragic deaths of mum and cousin

It's a testament to Ben Price's resilience that he has been able to perform at such a high level on the track, establishing himself of one of South Australia's leading riders, while navigating the anguish associated with two devastating personal tragedies. The 21-year-old had to endure more than most in 2023 with the passing of his mother Belinda after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer compounded by the shock death of his 18-year-old cousin Charlie Stevens, who was struck by a car in a hit-and-run crash at Goolwa Beach during Schoolies week. The fact he was able to ride 66 winners, finish fourth in the 2022-23 metro premiership and maintain that position this season, while also securing his maiden black-type victory aboard Coco Sun in the Listed Oaklands Plate, just highlights his mental toughness. But when Price was named Dux of the Racing SA Apprentice Academy for the second straight year on Monday night, the emotion of it all, understandably, came flooding out. "It's huge, it really means a lot to be honest, it's been a tough 12 months," Price said. "Losing your mum is not easy and then losing your cousin, who's like your little brother, it's been hard. "He was one of my best mates and it was terrible what happened to him. You could say we've had a rough year and a half, two years. "I've got to thank a lot of my close friends who have been there for me along the way." Asked how he found the capacity to keep riding in the face of adversity, Price knew he had to keep forging forward. "It's what mum would've wanted – to keep going," he said. "I've got to thank my bosses Will (Clarken) and Niki (O'Shea), they've helped me out a lot. "Without my friends and family, I wouldn't be here winning this award." Looking ahead, Price is now adjusting to life as a senior jockey but he's not setting any bold goals. "I just hope to keep riding winners," he said. "Will and Niki have guaranteed me a spot in their team, so that gives me a little bit of comfort to know I'm with the team that's winning the premiership at the moment."Story from Racenet (Tom Biddington)

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