With just eighteen horses in work on her Bendemeer property, Jane Clement’s achievement to win nine races for the month was award winning stuff. The talented horsewoman got away to a flyer on the first day of September with a double at Moree - a Cl 1 with Extreme Merger (Mikayla Weir) and the Graysonline Moree Cup with $61.00 outsider Macleay (Mollie Fitzgerald). Six days later the widely travelled trainer won with Adviser (Shannen Llewellyn) at Mendooran.
Jane was at Collarenebri with four runners on September 14th and came away with a double - Hardyo and Sippity Sip both ridden by Shannen Llewellyn. The astute trainer had no qualms about backing Hardyo up two days later to win a BM 66 at Tamworth, with in form Llewellyn again doing the honours. Five days later it was off to Barraba to notch another winning double with Adviser (Llewellyn) and Another Gift (Leeshelle Small). On September 28th Jane lent her support to the Come-By-Chance Picnic Race Club at its popular Cup meeting and covered exes by winning a minor race with Rainmaker (Leandro Ribeiro) - total nine wins for the month including three doubles.
There's no better supporter of female jockeys than Jane Clement. Shannen Llewellyn wins for the stable on Hardyo at Tamworth 16/09/2024 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The trainer’s hot winning streak carried over to the Armidale meeting on October 5th with a winning treble including a trifecta in the opening race of the day. Jane attributes her success to the valuable lessons learned from her late maternal grandfather Merv Corless. The legendary Tamworth based trainer died in 2018 at the remarkable age of 93. Jane lived with her family 40 kms away at Bendemeer, but from mid teens spent a great deal of time with her grandparents. “I was riding trackwork for Pop from an early age and later worked full time in the stables,” said Jane. “He was an exceptional horseman and taught me to do things the right way.”
The Clement stable colours are well known on NSW country tracks. Mikayla Weir wins on Extreme Merger on Moree Cup day - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The trainer continues to live in her original hometown on a 100 acre property which embraces a large part of the long defunct Bendemeer racecourse. She and husband Robert Clement prefer to keep their horses as close to nature as possible. “There’s no such thing as a stable on the property,” says Jane. “Every horse lives full time in its own paddock and is rugged according to the weather. We have the luxury of a 1600m undulating sand track which enables us to do all of our work at home. I’m still riding regular trackwork assisted by my daughter Dana who’s getting very keen on the prospect of becoming an apprentice jockey. She’s a late bloomer at 26, but I think I’ll have myself a new apprentice next year.”
Dana has been inspired by the deeds of her younger brother Braith Nock who has created a huge impression in just twenty two months of race riding. He’s already posted 126 wins thanks largely to generous support from trainers like Brett Cavanough and Cody Morgan. Good judges are predicting a bright future for the talented young jockey.
Jane Clement is the epitome of the all round country horse person. An unwavering thirst for knowledge has led her to the enviable position of being able to handle all of her own equine dentistry and chiropractic work. “When you live at Bendemeer you can sometimes wait two or three weeks to get a horse dentist or chiropractor,” said Jane. “I’ve asked a million questions over the years and watched the experts very closely. It’s just a matter of practice and more practice and you start to get results. I’m also very lucky that my husband Robert can shoe a horse with the best of them.”
Here's Jane at Kempsey last year with Extreme Merger after the gelding's win in the Macleay RSL Super Maiden.
Jane’s homespun methods are obviously working. Twelve winners in just five weeks is a tremendous achievement for a bush stable of eighteen horses. Like many small team trainers she regularly sources horses from the burgeoning Inglis Digital Sale. Interesting to note that three of her recent winners were acquired for bargain basement prices - Prince Carlos ($2000), Another Gift ($1000) and Sippity Sip ($1250). Is it any wonder this lady is collecting monthly awards. Twelve complimentary bags of Pryde’s EasiPerformance will soon land in her Bendemeer feedroom.
After one of three country wins with Kliftee - a half brother to Jane's all time favourite Chrysolaus.
And here is that all time favourite Chrysolaus winning the 2016 Tamworth Cup for Rachel Murray - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Mollie Fitzgerald gets Macleay home for the Clement stable in the Moree Cup 01/09/2024 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)
