Clipper gives Clark 100 winners for season

Tim Clark has ticked off a milestone, riding his 100th winner for the season on Clipper at Randwick.

After being left stranded on 99 wins last season, jockey Tim Clark is well ahead the game this year, posting his century aboard Clipper at Randwick.

The Matt Dale-trained filly started the $3 favourite in Saturday’s Highway (1100m) and didn’t let her supporters down, posting a 1-1/2 length margin on Suncraze ($4.60) who was doing her best work late.

“It is good to tick off the 100 with a couple of months left in the season,” Clark said.

“It is 100 Australia-wide but 97 in New South Wales so that will be another goal.

“It was a bit frustrating to get to 99 last season although I was surprised a few weeks out I had that many.

“But I had to wait another 12 months to get it.”

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The win took the Canberra-trained Clipper’s record to three wins from five starts and gave Dale his eighth win in a Highway race for country-trained horses to give him a one-win lead over Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn.

Dale was not at Randwick but previously indicated he thought the filly was still maturing and would probably stick to similar races before he thought about stepping her up in class.

Jason Collett, who rode the runner-up, said the Melanie O’Gorman-trained Suncraze was still a work in progress.

“We just settled too far back and gave the winner too much of a start,” he said.

“His racing pattern at the moment is holding him back.

“This wasn’t the day to try and circle the field from last.

“He’s got a future but he’s going to need a few more runs to get him educated.”