JUST as she did in her riding career, Sam Clenton is taking giant strides in her new role as a rider’s agent.
The former talented jockey started off in May managing Andrew Gibbons’ bookings, and has now taken over Christian Reith’s management.
And there’s more to come.
Promising Taree apprentice Shae Wilkes will soon also come under her wing.
Clenton said that when she began chasing Gibbons’ rides in mid-May, she would get her bearings before taking on other jockeys.
“I’ m really enjoying the role, and the time is right now to expand,” she said on Wednesday afternoon.
“Andrew is going really well, and I have just organized Christian’s first rides for me at Scone on Friday.
“They’re both very experienced jockeys (with close to 3000 wins between them), and as with Andrew, I’ll also do the very best I can for Christian.”
Gibbons, who rode 39 winners in the season which ended on Wednesday, has five bookings at the Showcase meeting at Coffs Harbour on Friday.
His mounts include Bethencourt for Wyong trainer Kim Waugh in the $150,000 Big Dance Eligibility Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) as he seeks to defend his “title”.
Gibbons won last year’s Cup on Attractable for fellow Wyong trainer Sara Ryan, and the gelding subsequently landed the $3m Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick a few months later.
Reith rode 22 winners during the 2023-24 racing year, and begins the new season at Scone on Friday, with four rides, which include recent Kensington debut winner It’s A Knockout for trainer Ciaron Maher.
Both jockeys also have bookings for the provincial meeting at Newcastle on Saturday.
Clenton is looking forward to managing Shae Wilkes’ rides in the near future.
Wilkes began riding only a few months ago, and made a dream debut winning on her trainer father Wayne’s horse Cool Duke at Tuncurry on March 2.
She has ridden a further 16 winners, but has been sidelined since July 1.
“Shae has been on the injured list, but has just received a medical clearance to start riding trackwork again,” Clenton said.
Clenton’s first ride was on runner-up Twilight Courage for Port Macquarie trainer Marc Quinn at that track on February 12, 2011 and the same mare was her first winner there 10 days later in an 1100m Maiden.
She rode 356 winners, including 89 in the 2019-20 season, and was the State’s leading apprentice in 2015-16 with 81 winners.
Clenton unfortunately had to call time on a career which promised so much but was punctuated by injuries from race falls, one of which at Scone was very serious when she crushed six vertebrae.
She last rode on May 31, 2021 at the scene of her breakthrough winner at Port Macquarie.
Trainers wishing to contact Clenton for bookings for either Gibbons or Reith and soon Wilkes can ring her on 0427 464000 or by email at Sammie.clenton@outlook.com.
. Newcastle jockey Dylan Gibbons made a winning start to his senior career, combing with Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle to take the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) on Hide Your Heart ($17) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
At his first day’s riding in over a month, he was also reprimanded by RacingNSW stewards for being overweight (his first offence) and having to forfeit two of his bookings (Flying Chevrolet and Tenniel).
Gibbons’ former boss Kris Lees and his apprentice Ben Osmond also combined for a midweek success, landing the Vale Sue Hutchison Mile (1600m) with Sailor ($4.40).
Like Osmond, Hawkesbury apprentice Zac Wadick is another now making his mark in town. He snared the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) on Serene Nic ($4.60), his 64th winner in a breakout season.
Story John Curtis, July 31, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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