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Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 55981 Price Partners Jean In Flemington Debut

Price partners Jean in Flemington debut

Price partners Jean in Flemington debut

Ben Price can launch his 2023-24 season with his first Melbourne winner when he partners talented galloper Jean Valjean at Flemington on Saturday.

Price, who rode 63 winners across SA last season and 32 in the city, stays with the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea galloper who comes off an emphatic return to racing when he flashed home from the back to win on the Parks track at Morphettville last month.

It will be Price’s first ride at famous Flemington and Clarken said he couldn’t fault the horse.

“He’s super,’’ Clarken said.

“It’s a good chance to get him (Ben) over there and season him up. He rode him perfectly the other day, he’s drawn a great gate and it looks like he’ll settle a couple of pairs back and they should roll along a little bit,’’ he said.

Clarken said he has no doubt Jean Valjean has the potential to mix it in Melbourne.

“I think he has the ability of a Stakes-class horse, if he can win one or two in Melbourne that would be ideal,’’ Clarken said.

“Even though we haven’t had him long, he’s not a young horse, but it looks a very nice race for him on Saturday,’’ he said.

Fellow South Australian Wild Imagination also returns to Melbourne chasing three consecutive wins for the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable.

The mare was a Caulfield winner two starts back before she defied a big drift in betting to win on the Parks at Morphettville last time out.

Former local apprentice Zac Spain retains the ride.

There will also be eyes on SA-owned galloper Berkeley Square who makes his return to the races for the first time since finishing sixth in last year’s Victoria Derby.

RELEVANT NEWS

Cicala keeps unbeaten streak alive in Lightning Stakes

Just twelve minutes after Bridal Waltz’s Bletchingly Stakes triumph in Melbourne, Cicala (Tamasa) added further depth to the form over in Adelaide when extending her unbeaten record to three in the Lightning Stakes (Listed, 1050m) at Morphettville.  The Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea-trained filly, a daughter of the little-known stallion Tamasa (So You Think), burst onto the scene with a brilliant debut win at Gawler on May 28 and then franked that effort with a gritty success over course and distance last time out, defeating subsequent city winner Noetzie (Harry Angel).  Lining up for the third time on Saturday, Cicala was sent out the $4 second-elect behind Fieldelo (Deep Field), who had run fourth to Bridal Waltz in the Creswick Stakes earlier this month.  It wasn’t made easy for the filly and apprentice Rochelle Milnes from barrier 11 as they were forced three-deep without cover behind tearaway leader Sir Now (Sir Prancealot), but the Heavy 10 surface proved no hurdle and Cicala quickened when asked on the bend. She chased down the favourite in the shadows of the post to win by 0.2 lengths. Sir Now finished another 1.5 lengths back in third.  “She’s tough,” Clarken said post-race. “It wasn’t a comfortable run by any means, but she keeps finding and has handled everything we’ve thrown at her so far.” Bred in Victoria by Glenn Davies, who also owns her sire Tamasa, Cicala was offered unreserved by Maddie Raymond via the Inglis Digital 2023 October (Late) Online Sale but failed to attract a single bid. She has now banked over $135,000 in prize-money. She is the first stakes winner for Tamasa, a son of So You Think (High Chaparral) who won five of his first eight starts before placing at Group 3 level. Tamasa stood just two seasons at stud, covering a total of four mares, with Cicala the only named foal from his first crop and now his only winner. Out of the Group 3-winning mare Divertire (Econsul), Cicala hails from the same family as South African Grade 1 winner Rarotonga Treaty (Geiger Counter).  Clarken said no decision had yet been made about the filly’s next target but confirmed the stable was giving serious thought to keeping her in work for another run this winter. “She’s come through each run better than the last,” he said. “We’ll see how she pulls up but she’s earned the chance to chase something bigger again next start.”

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Keeping it in the family

Later in the day, a pair of lots sold for $200,000 respectively to secure their placings as the joint-second-top lots on the second day of trade. Lot 273, the first of the duo to go under the hammer, is a filly by Yulong’s Written Tycoon who sold to Ridgeport Holdings, Clarken Bloodstock, and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA). The filly is out of Blue Morpho (Hussonet) who from 16 starts on the track managed three wins, including landing the 2018 Laelia Stakes (Listed, 1600m).  Clarken and his training partner Niki O’Shea know about the family, with the filly’s brother, the unraced Windrow, and her Alabama Express half-sister, who Clarken bought for $80,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2021, both residents of their Murray Bridge stable.  “The quality always makes money and there have been some really nice types and there’s been no doubt that they have been well received. We were narrowly beaten on the Zoustar filly [Lot 255] earlier today and we were lucky enough to get the Written Tycoon filly a second ago,” Will Clarken told ANZ Bloodstock News. “I’ve got her two relations who have shown great promise and haven’t been to the races yet. Written Tycoon has been a good stallion to the yard and we’ve got Kuroyanagi who was Group 1-placed in the Blue Diamond and it’s going to be for the same ownership group [Ridgeport].” “We’ve got four so far [on the day], we’ve been sent a few and I think there’s a couple more on the list for the rest of the day, but we really came here to buy what we thought was the best filly and the best colt and I think we’ve done that. “Adelaide has been a really happy hunting ground for us. We bought Beau Rossa here and he was narrowly beaten in a Group 1. I bought Galaxy Patch out of here, Prawn Baba and  both of them have run in a Hong Kong Derby [Galaxy Patch second in 2024] and I just know the sale and it’s been really good for us. “Let’s hope the Magic Millions lives on here in South Australia. Obviously there are some changes ahead, but it’s a great asset to have a sale in our backyard.”Story from ANZ Bloodstock News

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