“You can’t let the strength of the Sydney riding ranks play on your mind,” says popular jockey Sam Clipperton. “You’ve got to stay focused and bring your A game every time you go to the races.”
That was Sam’s mindset when he arrived at Hawkesbury for the June 13 Sunday meeting. He came away with three winners - Kittyhawk Flyer (Mark Newnham), California Sky (Team Snowden), and Shotgun Alli (Ron Quinton). He struck again for the Snowden stable when Forzanini scored on the Kenso track on Wednesday.
At Wyong on Thursday he went within a breath of a double, scoring on Stonesthrow (Tracy Bartley) and dead heating on General Dubai (Peter Robl). Sam carried his hot form over to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday where he landed a double - the listed W.J. McKell Cup on Stockman (Joe Pride) and a BM78 on Expat (Mark Newnham).
The jockey was impressed with both Rosehill winners. “I couldn’t have had a better run in the McKell Cup,” he said. “With a hot pace on, I was able to lob along a bit worse than midfield behind Parry Sound who took me everywhere I wanted to go. We secured a beautiful run between horses on the turn and he had them well covered at the 200m. I think Joe Pride has the Grafton Cup in mind on July 8th.
Given a perfect ride by Clipperton Stockman decisively won Saturday's W.J. McKell Cup - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“Expat did a power of work from a wide gate in her race, but was very strong on the line. I thought she was in trouble when Belucci Babe loomed up at the 200m, but she just kept coming. Remember she’s only a three year old and gave age to the placegetters.”
Sam Clipperton is a great believer in the popular theory that things are “meant to happen”. Just seven weeks ago he had a very productive day at the stand alone Hawkesbury Saturday meeting. He won the Gr 3 Hawkesbury Guineas on the Snowden trained Exoboom, and rode the second placegetters in the Gr 3 Hawkesbury Crown, the listed Gold Rush and the Gr 3 Hawkesbury Cup.
“The stewards took the gloss off my day when they charged me with careless riding in the Guineas and slapped an eight meeting suspension on me which included two Saturdays,” said Sam. “I’d been feeling a little bit flat for weeks and decided to use the time for a mental freshener. My wife Morgan and I had a week in Tasmania and a week at Airlie Beach. I tried not to worry about the winners I was missing out on, and let my weight sneak up slightly. I can’t tell you what a difference it made.”
A Gr. 3 win for Team Snowden on Exoboom in the Hawkesbury Guineas 01/05/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The twenty seven year old has crammed a lot into eleven years since finishing down the course on Nine Dragons at Wyong on the occasion of his first race ride. Twenty six rides later he opened his account on White Horse Inn on the same track for Tim Clarke who trained his horses on Bob La Pointe’s showplace Muskoka Farm at Gunderman.
“That first win was very special but paled into insignificance alongside the thrill of my first city win at Randwick on Anzac day 2011,” said Sam. “The race was on a very heavy Kenso track and I rode a gelding called Liechtenstein for my boss Ron Quinton. I’d ridden six provincial winners but that first metropolitan win was something else. He won by almost six lengths. I’ll never forget it.”
Sam’s the first to admit he fell on his feet when lucky enough to be indentured by Ron Quinton. The youngster had met Ron and former champion jockey Mal Johnston when he first contacted Racing NSW mentor Maurice Logue about the possibility of starting an apprenticeship. Maurice was able to arrange work experience for Sam, firstly with John O’Shea at Randwick and later with Peter Nestor at Dubbo.
“Peter Nestor actually indicated he might have an apprenticeship opportunity for me down the track,” said Sam. “While waiting to hear from him I received a surprise phone call from Ron Quinton who told me he was short of a trackwork rider. Ron actually suggested I join him for a trial period and was kind enough to offer me accommodation at his Coogee home.
Socially distancing with Ron Quinton after a win on Royal Celebration at the commencement of the Covid 19 restrictions - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“It’s now history that I lived with Ron and his late wife Margaret for the next four years. They treated me like a son and their influence on my life was immeasurable.”
With his obvious natural talent and the invaluable tutorship of a former champion jockey, it came as no surprise when young Sam Clipperton became champion Sydney apprentice in the 2012/2013 season.
Sam’s first taste of Gr 1 glory came in the 2016 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on his all time favourite Peeping. He won a total of six races on the Redoute’s Choice filly culminating in the Coolmore in which he gave her a perfect ride to beat Azkadellia and Solicit. Amazingly Sam rode the pony sized mare in all of her fourteen starts.
The unforgettable moment when Sam went past the post on his first Gr. 1 winner Peeping. The 2016 Coolmore Classic - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Clipperton’s form at that time attracted the attention of Gai Waterhouse who, just two weeks later decided to put the young jockey on her classy mare English in the Gr 1 All Aged Stakes. “I felt the pressure of riding for Gai in such an important race, but thankfully I was able to get the mare home narrowly from Black Heart Bart,” said Sam.
There’s little doubt the young jockey’s brace of Gr 1 wins over the Sydney carnival precipitated the offer he received just a few weeks later from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “I was only 22 at the time and didn’t expect to be getting invitations to ride against the best jockeys in the world,” recalled Sam. “It was a no brainer really. Although still a little green I felt I couldn’t refuse the opportunity to compete in one of the strongest venues in world racing. My partner Morgan agreed to accompany me, so off we went.”
Sam failed to ride a winner at his first two meetings, but then bobbed up with a double and he was on his way. He rode 40 winners in his first season, a flying start in an environment where jockeys live and die by the regularity of visits to the winner’s circle. “If your win rate slows for whatever reason your opportunities dry up accordingly,” said Sam. “Owners, trainers and punters don’t look for reasons. You’re either winning or you’re not winning. It’s absolutely brutal.”
One trainer to offer Sam much needed support was expatriate Aussie John Size. “He stuck with me when he had no reason to be putting me on,” said Sam. “I ran second in four Gr 1 races for John. He was pleased and so was I, but nobody else places any credence in running second. Had any one of those four seconds been able to win, it would have been a different story.”
Two of those second placings were on Western Express in the Champion’s Mile and the Hong Kong Mile. John Size had been sufficiently impressed with Sam’s rides in those elite races to offer him the opportunity to ride the horse in one of Japan’s biggest races - the Gr 1 Yusada Kinen. The gelding’s starting odds of $54.00 are an indication of the depth of the opposition. Sam gave Western Express the run of the race before finishing among the tailenders. “The atmosphere was electric with 100,000 screaming fans at the track,” said Sam. “It was an unforgettable experience, and I’d love to go back one day.”
Sam was elated to win his second Gr. 1 in the space of two weeks - The All Aged Stakes on English - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Sam took advantage of a Hong Kong off season to return to Australia for his marriage to Morgan. The couple had been inseparable since their first meeting at a Warwick Farm race meeting when Morgan was working in the Sponsorship and Marketing wing of the Australian Turf Club. Morgan was fully supportive in early 2019 when Sam elected to gain a release from his Hong Kong contract and resume his career at home.
Back in Sydney he was just starting to gain momentum when he incurred a suspension on the eve of the 2019 Spring Racing Carnival. Jaded and disillusioned the young jockey took a calculated gamble in walking away from racing for an extended period of time. “I’d been introduced to surfing during our Hong Kong stay and decided to pack up and shoot a few waves in several different parts of the world,” he said. “I even surfed in Victoria several times with another enthusiast in Damien Oliver from whom I picked up a few pointers.
“That break was the best thing I ever did. I came back a fair bit heavier and a fair bit wiser. No doubt it’s been hard going in one of the toughest schools in the world, but my focus hasn’t waned. I know I’m only one of a driven bunch of jockeys in this town, but I plan to work hard and do the best I can by those who support me.”
Despite the frequency of race meetings and plenty of travelling, Sam doesn’t neglect trackwork. He’s a regular at Randwick where he lends a hand to the Quinton and Snowden stables before heading out to the centre where he’ll jump on a horse or two for John O’Shea, Waterhouse/Bott and Michael/Richard Freedman. When possible he’ll put in a morning at Rosehill with the Waller yard and often gets to Warwick Farm on a Friday morning where he’ll ride one or two for Mark Newnham. On race days he’s comfortable at 55kgs but will sometimes “tweak” to 54kgs if the opportunity warrants the additional effort.
Sam Clipperton has one special attribute that has taken him a long way and will continue to do so. When plying his trade in trackwork or at the races, or when engaging with interviewers the 27 year old displays the most pleasant of dispositions. His sense of humour is matched by his good manners and a genuine interest in the wellbeing of those around him.
Sam’s got a lot going for him.
At 27 years of age Sam has it all ahead of him. This one was taken after a Randwick win on Passage Of Time 2019 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Expat gives Sam 7.5 winners for the week at Rosehill defeating Miss Einstein - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)