Tim Clark celebrated his 40th birthday at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday by riding a treble, with Carbonados providing the icing on the cake in the NSW Jockeys Association Handicap (1300m).
Clark, who had earlier won on Funshow and Steel Strike, steered Carbonados out of a tight pocket behind leaders Aberlour and Gatsby's early in the straight, and the sprinter accelerated through to win. The treble lifted Clark to the top of the Sydney jockeys premiership at the start of the new season.
"Carbonados travelled up well," Clark said. "But then coming into the straight I had to figure out how well the horse (Gatsby's) was going outside the leader. It looked like the leader was going better so I was happy to stay where I was. I had the horse to make a run when the slightest of gaps appeared and he was able to push his way through and won well."
Form reversal for Carbonados
Carbonados, a $15 chance part-owned by Rupert Legh of Chautauqua fame, dashed clear through the gap to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from the fast-finishing Althoff ($9.50), with Fire Star ($4.60) a close third. It was a stark turnaround for a horse that had beaten only one rival in his three previous starts.
"Carbonados has been a little hit and miss and hard to catch but the switching of states, changing things up for him worked well," Clark added.
Hayes brothers dominate Rosehill
Trained at Flemington by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Carbonados advanced his record to seven wins from 22 starts and pushed his prizemoney to nearly $400,000. The Hayes brothers sent two horses to Rosehill and returned with a double after Run Harry Run won the earlier race.
The Sydney trainers' premiership now features Team Hayes at the top alongside Richard and Will Freedman, who produced winners in Attractiveness and Horizons. Chris Waller, the reigning Sydney premier trainer, drew a rare Saturday blank at his home track to begin his hunt for a 17th successive title.
