Not even the excitement of his first TAB Highway win could keep Aiden St Vincent away from his regular Sunday morning Church service at Coffs Harbour.
The thirty eight year old trainer and four year old mare Hellenism spent Saturday night at Les Tilley’s Wyong stables, but were on the road again by 4.30am. Aiden never misses the 9.30am Sunday service at the Lifehouse Church and had no intention of letting a Randwick win spoil his attendance record.
He was also anxious to give his best mate, Pastor Steven Lott a full report on Hellenism’s impressive win. “I’d already sent him a link of the race replay, but I knew he’d want to hear every detail of our trip to Royal Randwick”, said Aiden.
Image courtesy Bradley Photos - Aiden was full of admiration for Hellenism after the TAB Highway.
The chestnut mare was having only her second race start for St Vincent, and her fifth all up. Brett Dodson had prepared her previously for a win and two placings after which she was sent to the spelling paddock.
Her first up win at Coffs on December 30th had set the tongues wagging. With Rachael Murray on board, Hellenism walked out of the gates and tossed her head several times when eased off heels. She was a conspicuous last on the corner where a composed Murray elected to look for shortcuts. The openings presented themselves and the mare exploded between horses to put them away quickly.
The form specialists were generous in their assessment of the Coffs Harbour win and it was no surprise when Hellenism started favourite in the 1100m Highway. She began well enough from the extreme outside barrier, but Tim Clark elected to go right back when it was obvious she was going to be trapped off the track.
Aiden expected her to have a good look around in the foreign surroundings and how right he was. The mare was hopelessly distracted in the run to the turn, where she was four wide with cover behind All About Me. Just as Conspirator darted through to take the lead at the 200m, Hellenism let down with a dazzling turn of foot and pounced on the leader in a twinkling.
She appeared to switch off after heading Conspirator, obliging Clark to give her another wake up call.
Image courtesy Bradley Photos - Hellenism and Conspirator were well clear of the others at the finish of the TAB Highway.
Uralla horse breeders Justin and Samantha Clarke were in buoyant mood when they bought three mares in foal to Helmet at dispersal sales just over four years ago. The jury was still out on the three time Group 1 winner Helmet, whose Australian progeny was lacking Group performers. The Clarkes must have had a premonition that three years later, the son of Exceed And Excel would have a dual Dubai World Cup winner on his CV.
Despite this unique double by Thunder Snow, Helmet was sold last year to the respected Gestut Fahrhof stud in Germany.
Justin and Samantha earmarked their Helmet-Edaara (Ire) filly as a likely yearling sale candidate when she was a foal at foot, but a paddock accident changed all of that. A nasty gash to her off fore fetlock joint resulted in a mass of scar tissue and to this day she bears an unsightly bump in the affected area. Vets tried unsuccessfully to reduce the unsightly wound and the Clarkes realised she wouldn’t attract a bid at a yearling sale.
Hellenism following the paddock accident that kept her out of the yearling sale.
They gave the filly plenty of time to get over the setback, before making arrangements to have her broken in. What a huge job that turned out to be. Former Olympian Barry Munt had the task of mouthing her and breaking her to saddle”, recalled Justin Clarke. “She did nothing to help Barry and fought him every step of the way. She was as mad as a March hare”.
Just as the filly was starting to make progress, Barry suffered a broken shoulder in a fall from another horse. Rather than interrupt her education the decision was made to transfer her to local horseman Daniel Gorman, who did a lot of stock work with the highly spirited filly.
Justin recalls the alternative methods used by the experienced horseman.
Some of Hellenism's cheer squad. From left - Tilly (Justin's mum), Ron and Lou Doran and Justin Clarke at Randwick on Saturday.
“He had her involved in many and varied activities and even got her used to the sound of the stock whip cracking in her ear”, recalled Justin. “I thought of Daniel as I watched her walking calmly around the birdcage at Randwick on Saturday”.
Hellenism was a three year old when she arrived at the Moree stables of Peter Sinclair who took her right through to a barrier trial in March of last year. The best she could do was third of four runners in that trial, but Sinclair surprised her owners by declaring that she was good enough to send to a city trainer. His judgement has been soundly vindicated.
Despite the fact that Hellenism’s suspect joint had never presented a problem, Justin and Samantha opted for a Coffs Harbour stable where beach facilities would be readily available.
Aiden tells the story of the day he travelled to Uralla to collect his new acquisition. “I drove into “Dunvegan” in my four horse angle load float, which just happens to be painted in green, white and purple colours”, recalled the trainer. “Imagine my surprise when I spotted a jockey statuette mounted on a gate post, painted in the Clarke colours of green, white and purple. What a good omen”.
Image courtesy Bradley Photos - Aiden wasn't half pleased after Saturday's win.
When Justin and Samantha made the decision to race Hellenism, they quickly put together a group of friends to join them. Not surprisingly Peter Sinclair retained a share, while Ron and Lou Doran, Cherie and Richard Croft, Leith Andrews and Joel Weier’s JKW Bloodstock completed the syndicate. Cherie and Richard Croft are the parents of Samantha Clarke.
Hellenism’s win was the first leg of an exciting double on Saturday for Justin and Samantha. They also bred and sold Zero Doubt, a convincing winner in three year old company at Caulfield for Mick Price and Damien Oliver.
The Clarkes will present three quality yearlings at the upcoming Inglis Classic Sale commencing Feb 9th - a Star Turn colt (Lot 122), a Street Boss colt (Lot 131) and a Sebring filly (Lot 483). Their small but select draft will sell under the banner of Clarke and Croft Bloodstock.
Aiden St Vincent was always going to have an involvement in racing. He’s the son of Paul St Vincent who recently retired from the country training ranks after a very successful career. Paul trained hundreds of winners from his Tamworth base including talented sprinter The Jackal.
Samantha sporting the colours of Clarke and Croft Bloodstock, who will offer lots 122, 131 and 483 at the Inglis Classic Sale.
This durable son of Bite The Bullett won 15 races and registered 16 placings for $ 1,070,810 in prize money. He won the Ramornie Hcp on two occasions, the Gr 3 Star Kingdom Stks, the Gr 3 W.J.Healy Stakes, the Listed Falvelon Quality and the Listed Prime Minister’s Cup. Now seventeen years old, The Jackal lives a life of luxury in the back paddock at Paul’s Tamworth property.
Aiden’s older brother Kane displayed plenty of talent in the saddle winning some forty races in a stop start career. He retired and came back a couple of times, but quit permanently two years ago.
Aiden was always way too tall to contemplate a riding career. He was around his father’s horses from a very early age and later rode his share of trackwork. Despite a lanky frame and his 72kgs he continues to ride work at the Coffs Harbour track and on Boambee Beach.
Image courtesy Bradley Photos - Aiden was never going to be a jockey like brother Kane. In this shot the 188cm trainer leads Archytas in the parade at Warwick Farm 05/12/2018. The horse ran 2nd.
Three years ago Aiden and brother Kane decided to set up a joint training venture on the Sunshine Coast, but secured outside jobs when their operation stalled. Aiden managed Chris Munce’s Sunny Coast satellite stable for some time, while Kane is currently working for successful Caloundra trainer Darryl Hansen.
Aiden doesn’t have a single regret about his move to beautiful Coffs Harbour. He has excellent on course stabling, restricted use of the course proper, two sand tracks, a roomy “trot up” track and a swimming pool. The jewel in the crown for all Coffs trainers is spectacular Boambee Beach, a 5.7km stretch of paradise on the far North Coast. The beach provides a perfect galloping surface at low tide, while horses can be waded “chest high” when the tide is in.
In his seven years of solo training Aiden has produced a regular flow of winners including problem horses like Archytas, The Eulo Queen and Bundeebear. “The Eulo Queen had previously been banned from racing, while Bundeebear was all but uncontrollable when he landed at my place”, said St Vincent. “I think the constant beach work made a massive difference to their attitudes”, he says.
Hellenism’s next assignment will be the Country Championship qualifier (1400 metres) to be run at Coffs Harbour on Saturday Feb 15th. She will have the luxury of a 2kg fillies and mares weight allowance. With Tim Clark unavailable and Rachael Murray required for another runner, Aiden will have to field an onslaught of enquiries from jockey managers.
Aiden came up with an amusing quote when I spoke with him about his dedication to that Sunday morning service at the Lifehouse Church. “Let me set things right”, said the trainer. “I don’t go to Church to gain any points. I go there to express my thanks for all the good things that have happened to me”.
If Hellenism happens to win that $500,000 Country Championship Final on April 4th, Pastor Lott might have to let him take over the rectory.
Hellenism, just two weeks old with her dam Edaara.
(Banner image courtesy Bradley Photos - Hellenism gets the better of Conspirator in the closing stages of the TAB Highway.)