Raquel’s reaping rewards
TASMANIAN jockey Raquel Clark has been living in South Australian for a year and in that time the talented young rider has advanced her skill to a new level.
Clark was back in the state for one night only in Launceston on Wednesday to represent South Australia in the inaugural Australian Female Jockey Championship, where she finished second behind NSW ace Winona Costin.
In the four heats of the AFJC, Clark scored three minor placings and an eighth, but in the remaining four events on the eight-race card she won aboard Cranbrook for her former master Barry Campbell and rode another three minor placings.
Overall it was a good night at the office for the 24-year-old from Launceston.
“I was thrilled to have been asked to ride for SA and it ended up being a fairly good night for me,” Clark said. “I got one winner and six placings so any rider would have to be happy with that result.”
Clark has been indentured to the Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas stable since she left Tasmania in late February last year. The move was brought about so she could further her career in a state where she could still claim an apprentice’s allowance — she had outridden her claim within 18 months of securing her licence to ride in Tasmania.
“Moving to SA was the best thing I ever did as far as my career is concerned,” she said.
“I love working for the Macdonald/Gluyas team and I’ve really settled into the South Australian lifestyle. I share a house at Glenelg and that’s a great place to live and the racing over there is terrific.”
Clark made an impact from the moment she landed in SA.
She is fourth on the jockeys’ premiership table and is leading the race for the apprentice’s title. She has 46 wins and 78 minor placings from 375 rides with a winning strike rate of 12.3 per cent and her wins and minor placings have grossed more than $1 million in stakes.
With five months remaining, Clark could expect to earn well in advance of $120,000 this season, barring suspensions or injuries. With Clare Lindop, who is the No.1 rider for the Macdonald/Gluyas stable, about to retire from riding, Clarke has the opportunity to take over that role.
“Now that Clare has said she is going to hang up her riding boots at the end of this coming carnival in SA there is definitely an opportunity for me to take over her spot. I was thinking about moving on to gain experience elsewhere but it might be a much wiser move to stay where I am,” she said. JASON Maskiell landed another double on Wednesday night courtesy of wins aboard the Teagan Keys-trained Minute Repeater and Street Tough for Scott Brunton.
Maskiell has applied for a visa to travel to the US next month to investigate the possibility of riding in Kentucky.
“I’m going to have a look and see what it is all about and if I like what I see it could be a good move,” Maskiell said.