Shaun and Emma Clotworthy will break new ground in their training careers at Randwick on Saturday, with their first Australian runner coming in the form of the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) second-favourite Willydoit.
The Byerley Park couple unveiled the talented son of Tarzino in November and he was immediately stamped as a Derby prospect, a promise fulfilled five starts later when he bolted away with the $1.25 million Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day.
Willydoit caught the hearts of the New Zealand public while attracting plenty of overseas attention, with a 50 percent share in the gelding purchased by syndicator MyRacehorse in December. As a part of the deal, he was initially set to join Ciaron Maher’s stable after the New Zealand Derby, but in the best interests of the horse, he remained in the Clotworthys care before travelling to Sydney last Sunday.
“He had a bit of a quiet time after the Derby, then we built him up again and he arrived in Australia on Sunday,” Shaun Clotworthy said.
“We elected to keep him at home up to the Derby, just to avoid changing climate quickly and you don’t know whether that’s going to work or not. It was a better way of building into this race.
“We are based here at Ciaron Maher’s facility in Bong Bong which is outstanding, he loves this sort of environment and he’ll end up here after the Derby.
“I’ve just watched him do a piece of work this morning (Wednesday) and I’m very happy with him, he looks good and has travelled over really well.”
Willydoit overcame a barrier of 14 at Ellerslie to triumph in the Derby and he has fared better across the Tasman, drawing 10 with two emergencies to his inside. He will continue his association with expat-Kiwi hoop Mick Dee, who will be vying for his first Australian Derby crown.
“We’ll leave it up to Mick, but we were quite happy with the draw as he should come into eight,” Clotworthy said.
In the final days as co-trainer of the special galloper, Clotworthy reflected fondly on the past couple of months, from the disappointment of a slowly-run Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) to the high of winning at elite-level for the first time.
“It’s been a great journey and pressure isn’t a bad thing, it’s there because he’s a good horse,” he said.
“It’s nice to train a good horse and especially to do so with Emma, and our son Harrison being involved as well.
“It’s been outstanding.”
Willydoit is rated a $4 second-elect with horse racing bookmakers in the $2 million showpiece, splitting fellow Kiwi-breds Aeliana ($3.50) and Shanwah ($9).
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