Clear-minded Clipperton thinks he might have found his next star

A refreshed Sam Clipperton is looking forward to renewing his partnership with Everest champion Think About It in 2024, but it is the lure of what shapes as his next star that will keep him at Rosehill this week.

While the Magic Millions carnival takes centre stage up north on the weekend, Clipperton will be at Rosehill, where he will continue his connection with another potential autumn carnival star.

“It is amazing what a short time away does to clear your mind,” said Clipperton, who took a 10-day break over Christmas to recharge with his family. “I’ve got a few winners since the break and I just want to be riding consistently and riding winners.

“It’s about building connections heading into the carnival and getting to a place where I can be riding the better ones.

“Having Think About It is a great start to the year. Knowing he is coming back is exciting, particularly with what is in front of him. I haven’t had a horse like him before, and it means you have a star.

“I want to find a couple more good carnival rides and Gallant Star, who I ride on Saturday again, could be another good one for the Country Championships.”

Clipperton might only have the five rides on Saturday, but there is quality there – a couple for premier trainer Chris Waller that present another opportunity, and two for Kris Lees as he builds on a connection with the Newcastle trainer.

However, it is Dubbo-trained Gallant Star, which returned with a scintillating Highway win, that is the highlight.

“[Trainer] Brett Robb told me he was running on December 30, so I made sure I was back on that day,” Clipperton said. “He just feels like a good horse. He is big and strong, and he will take the next step into benchmark company on the weekend.

“It is good to work with someone like Brett because he knows his horse so well, and you know what it means to him to have a horse like Gallant Star.

“The goal is the Country Championships, and I told Brett I will go out and ride him in the heat [at Coonamble] because I feel he will get to a bit better level than that.

“I like having that sort of relationship with a horse, and it’s how you build a good momentum into autumn.”

Gallant Star is a $3.80 favourite for the benchmark 72, while Clipperton’s other four rides are all under double-figure odds.

The Everest win means that Clipperton has had the best start to a season financially, but it’s more winners he needs to get back to having full books of rides.

“It is about winning, because that brings more rides. I have good support from Joe Pride and a couple of other trainers, but you earn those better rides with wins,” Clipperton said.

“I have recently started to go up and ride work at Newcastle for Kris Lees, and it gives me more options. We have the farm up there, so I can go and spend the night there and drive in in the morning and ride work.”

The trackwork commitment has Clipperton on experienced stayer Luncies in the January Cup. Luncies, which was second in the Summer Cup Lion’s Roar, is the $5.50 second favourite behind Naval College.

“His work was what you expect from an older horse; they know what they have to do,” Clipperton said. “He is certainly in a nice race for him on the weekend. He has a fair bit of weight and he has earned it.

“There are some good stayers on their way up down in the weights, but I know he is going to be very strong at 2000m and is ready to run a big race.”

Clipperton will also be aboard Bubba’s Bay for Lees, and he has also been trying to get to Rosehill one morning a week for Chris Waller.

It is the work behind the scenes that gets rewarded on raceday, and with the big guns on the Gold Coast, Clipperton gets a chance on Louisville, a consistent son of Redwood that doesn’t win out of turn, and Starman for the premier stable.

After three consecutive seconds, Louisville steps up in trip to 1800m while staying in benchmark 78 company.

“I think the trip suits him,” Clipperton said. “At his past two runs at 1600m he has been good, but he seems to hit flat spots and then be really strong in the last 100 metres.

“He has a good base to get to this trip, and it would be good to get a winner for the Waller stable and try to break in there as well.”

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.