Sam Clipperton’s early spring thinking that Mazu and Stockman could deliver for him on the big stage may come to fruition on a wet Randwick track on Saturday.
The pair enjoy the cut out of the ground more than most, and for Stockman’s group 1 target of the Metropolitan, news the track rating went to heavy on Friday will only help.
Sam Clipperton will look for his biggest win on Stockman in the Metropolitan at Randwick Saturday.Credit:Getty
“He has won on a good track but on the heavy, he feels like he is on a good track,” Clipperton explained. “He has topweight in the Metrop, but that won’t worry him, and really, he has the best form in the race.
“I was looking forward to riding him this spring because he has matured with every preparation, and he hasn’t disappointed me.
“From his return in the Winx Stakes, where he was only 3-3/4 lengths from Anamoe, I have been counting down to this day.”
Stockman only beat one home in the Winx, but his sectionals late were the best of the race over the unsuitable 1400m trip. He followed it with a midfield finish in the Chelmsford Stakes before being strong late to finish fourth in the Kingston Town Stakes.
Sam Clipperton and Mazu after winning the Doomben 10,000.
“Every run has been an improvement and I think 2400m is his best trip, and he gets there in great shape,” Clipperton said. “I will ride where he’s comfortable, but at this sort of staying trip that might only three or four pairs back.
“When you look at it, he has weight-for-age form and there isn’t any other horse in the field that has that, and it’s why he earned topweight.
“I think he can run up to his run in the Tancred Stakes when he was second to Duais, over 2400m at weight-for-age on a wet track in the autumn, and if he does that we will be in the finish.”
Stockman sits on the third line of betting at $7.50 with No Compromise for the Metropolitan, where Durston is the $3.70 Sportsbet favourite in front of Le Don De Vie, which won the Caloundra Cup in a bog and has been well backed from $8 to $6.50.
Earlier in the afternoon, Clipperton will complete The Everest preparation of Mazu in the Premiere Stakes and is the first to admit that the $1 million race isn’t his grand final.
The Doomben 10,000 winner stepped up against the big boys for the first time when 2-1/2 lengths away from Nature Strip when fifth in The Shorts and Saturday is about being ready for The Everest in a fortnight’s time.
“He is going to be improved from that run and probably gets the conditions in his favour,” Clipperton said. “A couple of the others need it firmer and as he showed in his unbeaten autumn soft tracks don’t worry him.”
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