By Craig Kerry
Tim Clark is already looking to the autumn with anticipation thanks to his connection with Golden Gift winner North England.
On Saturday, he’s hoping to add to that excitement with two more potential two-year-old stars.
Tim Clark riding North England to victory in the Golden Gift.Credit: Getty Images
Clark rides the Godolphin pair Burma Star and Tempted in the 1100m group 3 Canonbury and Widden Stakes respectively at Rosehill, and both loom as strong hopes.
Burma Star is a $2.50 Sportsbet favourite for the colts and geldings feature after a quarter-length second to subsequent stakes winner Icarian Dream at his only start on October 16. The Exceed And Excel colt has returned with two trials, including a strong finish to win his most recent outing at Hawkesbury on January 20.
Clark was aboard then and in his first trial in September, and he was impressed with the progression.
“I trialled him at Hawkesbury, and he couldn’t have been any more impressive – he went fantastic,” Clark said.
“I just knocked him off in his first start at Warwick Farm when I was on Icarian Dream, and she has gone on to race really well in good company, so the form stacks up around him.
Tim Clark after winning on the Bjorn Baker-trained Point And Shoot last Saturday at Randwick.Credit: Getty Images
“He was pretty green in those first official trials, but he’s continued to improve, and he’s probably come back a bit better again this preparation, by what he showed at the trial at Hawkesbury.
“He’s a very straightforward two-year-old. He does everything right, so hopefully he can just execute well again on Saturday. It looks a good kick-off point for his prep.”
Burma Star, in gate four of seven, is Godolphin trainer James Cummings’ only runner in the Canonbury Stakes after he did not accept with Comedy, which was an early favourite after nominations.
Cummings has two hopes – Tempted and Daphnes – in the Widden Stakes for fillies, and Clark is on the shorter-priced daughter of Street Boss.
At $3.40, Tempted is battling Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s The Playwright ($3.50) and the Chris Waller-trained debutante Snitzel Miss ($4.20) for favouritism.
Tempted finished over the top of Daphnes ($12) by half a length in a two-year-old race featuring four Godolphin horses on December 18 at Warwick Farm, and she backed that up with a trial win at Rosehill last week.
The only concern for Clark on Saturday is the outside gate of nine.
“I haven’t sat on her, but she looks a pretty sharp filly,” Clark said. “She’s had the one start for a win, so she couldn’t have done any more.
“Her trials have been good. She’s drawn a little bit awkward, so I’ll have to speak with James and the team to see exactly how we are going to ride her, but she’s obviously a very talented filly.”
In the day’s other group 3 feature, the Southern Cross Stakes (1200m), Clark reunites with the Bjorn Baker-trained Iowna Merc ($8.50).
Clark rode Iowna Merc to victory in benchmark 88 grade over 1100m at Randwick on December 21, and the five-year-old has since won the listed Canterbury Sprint (1200m) and finished fourth at Wyong in a benchmark 100 (1350m).
He has gate three of nine on Saturday in a race featuring stablemates Disneck ($6) and Wategos ($10).
“He’s really turned the corner and put a couple of nice wins together,” Clark said. “And obviously Bjorn’s team is flying at the moment, so anything you ride for Bjorn you’ve got to give a chance. But him in particular, I think coming back to 1200m will suit him.
“It was a slowly run race the other day at Wyong, and he had a bit of weight, so he probably wasn’t suited. I think back to the 1200, from a low draw, I think it sets up well for him.”
Clark has enjoyed a successful first half of the season and leads the chasing pack in the Sydney premiership on 37 wins, 15 behind James McDonald.
The Waterhouse-Bott-trained North England, a $4.80 chance for the $2 million Inglis Millennium on Saturday week, was one Clark was looking to for a boost through the autumn.
“I’ve definitely had a good season so far, and coming into an autumn carnival, you want to get that momentum rolling,” he said.
“Obviously, James is setting a good benchmark but, hopefully, we can just keep chipping away and ride a few winners.
“North England will return to the races after another trial. He’s obviously on a Golden Slipper path so he’s an exciting colt by Farnan, so looking forward to riding him.”
