Clipperton's confident after picking up the Mr Stunning ride

Sam Clipperton has picked up a plum spare ride aboard Mr Stunning in the HK$16 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, 29 April and is confident that the likely race favourite is the horse all others need to fear most.

The Australian hoop will take the reins in place of Nash Rawiller after the Hong Kong Jockey Club handed the latter a 15-month disqualification on Wednesday (25 April) for breaches of rules related to betting and receiving benefits for supplying tips.

“It’s not the best circumstances, but if it wasn’t me riding him it’d be someone else,” Clipperton said at Sha Tin this morning (Thursday, 26 April).

The jockey revealed that he pinged Size a message to remind him of his availability should the champion trainer require his services aboard the G1 Hong Kong Sprint hero – Size had already booked Clipperton to ride Western Express in Sunday’s G1 Champions Mile.

“I just sent John a message saying I’m available if you’re looking for a rider – I’d said to him before entries came out that I was available. One thing about John, if he wants you he’ll come and get you, so I just put my name forward and left it at that – I don’t hassle him.”

Size is happy to utilise Clipperton’s talents. The 24-year-old has picked up 16 wins in this his second full Hong Kong season, having notched 40 wins in a fine first campaign.

“He’s acquitted himself well so far and I’d expect him to ride both of my horses well, both Mr Stunning and Western Express,” Size said.

“I think it’s very good for him to come to Hong Kong, it’s good for any young rider to come here and to gain experience against this tough competition. It certainly helps them in the future, especially when they go back home.”

With Size’s endorsement and having witnessed at close quarters Mr Stunning’s G1-winning capabilities, Clipperton heads into Champions Day in buoyant spirits.

“I’m going into the race on a top horse so I have complete confidence in my horse’s ability and that in turn gives me a lot of confidence to do the job. We all know what he can do,” Clipperton said.

“He’s very straightforward, he’s pretty versatile and he’s push-button. He’s won by sitting handy and he’s won coming from behind, a bit further back, so that makes his jockey’s job a lot easier. He’s a top sprinter and I’m delighted to be on him.”

Size will send five of the race’s nine runners to post and expects Mr Stunning to run his race in his usual manner.

“Mr Stunning is a very uncomplicated horse, he’s quite easy to train, like most good horses,” the handler said. “On race day, he’s quite professional and probably a couple of his biggest attributes are the fact that he will show speed and settle in a race and adapt to the running of a race, whatever it might be, and he’s extremely brave in the finish, he’ll give you whatever he’s got.”

Clipperton sees two Size stablemates as perhaps the biggest dangers to Mr Stunning going one better than his second to Lucky Bubbles in last year’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize, but still feels he has the ace.

“Ivictory’s an up-and-comer and Beat The Clock’s proving himself as a top grade horse so it’s going to be no walk in the park, but I feel like I’m on the one to beat,” he said.