Clancy and his 3kg claiming apprentice John Kissick will be in action at Canterbury on Wednesday. Last start Albury winner Tarrabandra is ready to go.
A rising seven-year-old Tarrabandra has been to the races on 31 occasions for eight wins, five seconds, three thirds and has earnt $120,010 in prizemoney.
“I work about 12 and I don’t want any more,” Clancy said on Tuesday while welcoming the news that his one time champion apprentice Tim Clark is returning to Sydney having spent almost two seasons riding successfully in Hong Kong.
“We’ve had a good couple of weeks, this horse and another one won at the Albury Cup carnival and we had a winner at Gundagai last Sunday.”
Tarrabandra lumped 58.5kg to victory at Albury which Clancy described as “a very good win” and drops to 53kg at Canterbury.
“John can only claim 1kg, he can only ride at 53kg,” Clancy said.
“John was the leading apprentice in country NSW last season and this season he has been riding a lot in Victoria, he is doing very well.”
Kissick has won 43 races this season, had 40 seconds and 33 thirds from 278 rides. Clark kicked off his career under Clancy and after carving up the country circuit ended up at the Randwick stables of John O’Shea where he became champion apprentice.
Clark announced on Tuesday he’d be returning home from Hong Kong where the 26-year-old ventured last season. He booted home 28 winners first time round but this season has already rode 30 including the group 1 Hong Kong Classic Cup on It Has To Be You which is trained by the unmatched Aussie John Size who continues to astound in Hong Kong.
“Every time we win a race Tim would give us a ring,” Clancy said.
“He was with me for about four years, he keeps in touch, always has. He is a gentleman, a lovely bloke, and I think the time is right for him to come back home.
“It is a great learning curve over there, riding against the best week in week out and he’ll get even better, he is at the age where they improve again.”
The prospect of a wet track at Canterbury is another lure for Clancy and Tarrabandra while the trainer reckons Kissick isn’t quite ready to make the move into town.
“He has had plenty of offers,” Clancy said.
“He has ridden over 100 winners now, rode 80 odd last season and he could ride another 100 winners in the bush before going down there and still claiming 3kg.
“He has got two years of his apprenticeship to go, he has plenty of time.”
By Craig Young
