ROSEHILL MARCH 12 - FIRST GROUP 1 FOR CLIPPERTON

By Graham Potter | Monday, March 14, 2016

Rosehill Gardens - March 12, 2016.
COOLMORE CLASSIC (Group 1) - 1500m.
Three-Year-Olds and upwards - Fillies and Mares - Quality.

WINNER: PEEPING (4 b m Redoute's Choice - Miss Marielle).
Owners: J W Kelly Suffolk Vale & Co.

Trainer: Ron Quinton. Jockey: Sam Clipperton.
Won by 0.50 lengths at a starting price of $15.
Track: Good. Rail: True. Time: 1:27.53. Last 600m: 34.31.

THE RUN OF THE RACE:

PEEPING ($15) settled in fifth place in the early part, some four-and-a-half to five lengths off the speed as SOLICIT ($3.90 favourite) and GHISONI ($5.50) set the early pace ahead of VERGARA and PEARLS. At the turn Clipperton angled PEEPING out for a run and wasted little time in setting out after the leaders.

By the 200m PEEPING had gone past both VERGARA ($41) and PEARLS ($20) and with 100m left to run she had also put GHISONI away. SOLICIT though was kicking on strongly along the inside and Clipperton also had to worry about the fast finishing AZKADELLIA ($4 second favourite) who loomed as a real threat out wide, but PEEPING kept finding when others thought she might be stopping at the 1500m trip, and her effort was inch perfect as she swept past SOLICIT inside the final 50m and was also strong enough to keep AZKADELLA at bay by half-a-length.

WINNER FEEDBACK:

TRAINER RON QUINTON (who won two Coolmore Classics as a jockey and who has now won two as a trainer as well):

“People said there was a doubt about the 1500 at this level, but if you are going to take 1500m on Rosehill is the place. She loves Rosehill. She seems to race fantastic here.

“It was a beautiful ride by Sam (Clipperton). It reminded me of some of mine. Sam came to us when he was fifteen and he lived with us for three-and-a-half years. I’m very proud of him. It’s his first Group 1 and I’m so happy it was for me. He is a very special part of the Quinton ‘family.’

JOCKEY SAM CLIPPERTON:

“That’s pretty cool. I’m speechless actually.

“Everything just panned out perfectly. I was able to slot in three pairs back, one off the fence. Six hundred out they really quickened the tempo and she just hit a flat spot but when I pulled her out she switched leads.

“I was confident at the 300m. She was probably getting a bit tired the last fifty, but she still kept charging hard. She is one of the easiest horses I’ve ridden. She is very push button. She bounces out of the barriers. You can give her a dig to ride a tactical race but then she’ll come straight back underneath you. She is the ultimate professional and it is a privilege to be part of her.

“I don’t know what to say (about the Group 1). I’ve probably been trying to rush in and make things happen ... putting myself under a bit of pressure. I can’t thank Ron and his owners enough. It’s a bit of a fairy-tale being able to ride my first Group 1 winner for Ron. He and Margaret have been a huge part of my life. I lived with them for three-and-a-half years. It’s very special.

“Day’s like this are what we all work hard for. It’s a day I’ll never forget.

“I’ve been working very hard on my weight so there is real time for celebrations. I’ve got to keep a lid on things. We’ve got a big carnival coming up. I’ve got to keep my mind on the job and my eye on the prize.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:

VERGARA -jumped awkwardly.

POLITENESS - jumped awkwardly, shifted in and hampered Amicus. Dipped linking up with the course proper near the 1400m. Rider T Berry stated that his mount had a particularly hard run and tracked wide throughout, but also did not seem to appreciate the firmer track today. A post-race veterinary examination of Politeness, which weakened after being obliged to travel wide throughout, revealed the mare to be displaying a poor post-race recovery.

PEARLS - dipped on jumping.

TELEPATHIC - slow to begin.

PEEPING - S Clipperton, rider of the winner, pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(ii) for using the whip on six occasions prior to the 100m (one more than permitted by the rule). Taking into account S Clipperton's poor record and it being a Group 1 race, he was fined
$500.

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