Shaun and Emma Clotworthy didn’t quite get their fairytale finish with Willydoit in Saturday’s A$2 million Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m), but the couple walk away with plenty to look forward to in the gelding’s future across the Tasman.
Willydoit triumphed in emphatic style in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie last month, warranting a trip to take on Australia’s best staying three-year-olds on the first day of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
Reuniting with Kiwi expat jockey Mick Dee, Willydoit jumped well and was handy early, eventually settling in the three-wide train behind Tsitsipas. The son of Tarzino got on the back of the eventual winner Aeliana on the home turn, but the Kiwi-bred filly was simply dominant, putting a five-length space on the field with Willydoit fighting hard into fourth.
“We’re really proud, his grand final was the New Zealand Derby so it was just a bonus getting here,” Shaun Clotworthy said.
“He’s done well, we would never have beaten the winner as she was too good, but with a slightly more economical trip he might’ve run second. He’s not far off them and he’ll definitely continue to develop.
“He’s run great in fourth, it was his first trip away from home and he settled in well, everything’s been great with him. It’s a good experience for the horse and everyone is happy with the result.”
While rapt with the result, the Clotworthys will return to New Zealand without their star galloper, as he joins Ciaron Maher’s powerful operation across New South Wales and Victoria. It won’t be the last they see of Willydoit though, as they remain in the ownership alongside Bryan Black and Australian syndication company MyRacehorse.
“It’s a little bit sad, but it is what it is,” Shaun Clotworthy said. “It was always part of the deal and he’s been a great horse, we’ll come over and watch him and see how it goes.
“We had a talk with Ciaron the other day and he’ll head for a spell, probably six to eight weeks. He may even head up to Queensland for a spell, he’s just had a few environmental problems in his feet caused by the heat in New Zealand, they were getting a bit crumbly.
“He’ll look after him and see where he ends up after that.”
The future looks bright for the gelding, and Clotworthy has no doubt he can match it with the best as an older horse in some of Australia’s most iconic staying races.
“Mick said he just tugged a little bit, possibly with the month between races, but he’s very easy to train and I think he can be a real top-class stayer when he furnishes into a mature horse,” Clotworthy said.
“I can see him having an easier four-year-old spring and then coming back in the autumn, then maybe the Melbourne Cup that year as a five-year-old.
“He’s not a dour out-and-out staying horse, he’s won over 1400 and 1600 with a turn-of-foot. We elected to go for the Derby path and he did that, and he’s come here and certainly hasn’t embarrassed us in Australia either.
“It’s been great.”