The week didn’t get off to the best start for South Auckland horseman Shaun Clotworthy, with his NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot holder syndicate having to replace their initial representative Dealt With (NZ) (Ace High), but he is hoping the rest of the week goes more to script.
Kerri Spence Bloodstock and Clotworthy Racing have chosen fellow Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Zormella (NZ) (Almanzor) as their replacement in the $3.5 million feature, and while Clotworthy is excited about her prospects in the race, he has a number of his own team he is hoping will feature prominently on Champions Day at Ellerslie this weekend.
Clotworthy, who trains in partnership with his wife Emma, are set to have a two-pronged attack in the $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) with Interplanetary and Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino), the latter currently sharing $4 equal favouritism with Australian raider Thedoctoroflove.
Willydoit was a $1.50 beaten favourite in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) last month, which was taken out by Thedoctoroflove, with Interplanetary finishing towards the tail end of the field.
Clotworthy has ruled a line through the race for both of his runners and is expecting better showings in this weekend’s assignment.
“We think Willydoit is in good space, we are happy with his condition, and we are just putting a line through his last run,” Clotworthy said.
“I can’t fault Interplanetary. He was similar last start to Willydoit, he got back off a slow tempo and it was difficult to make ground. It was hard to get a real line on him as well.”
Clotworthy will also be chasing Group Two glory with Aftermath (NZ) (Rock N Pop), who will step up to 3200m for the first time in Saturday’s Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup.
The five-year-old gelding won two consecutive races before finishing 10th in the Gr.3 Avondale Cup (2400m) last month, and Clotworthy is confident his charge can see out the two-mile distance.
“We are keen to try him over two miles. His pedigree doesn’t quite indicate it (get two miles), but he is a big, lanky type of free-going horse, and he just needs to learn to settle a touch more,” he said.
“He got in a lovely position (in the Avondale Cup), he was well ridden, he just probably got a bit keen and got buffered around in the early stages, which made him over-race a touch, and that was the reason he couldn’t quite finish it off.
“We just hope he gets a bit smoother run. A little bit more work in him and I think he will be a bit better from that Avondale Cup run.
“(Stable apprentice) Ace Lawson-Carroll will be riding him on Saturday and it will be a good opportunity for him, and he gets along with the horse and gets him to settle.”
Clotworthy is excited to be chasing some big prizemoney on New Zealand racing’s new marquee day, and said it is a great event for the industry.
“It is a huge week in New Zealand racing and it’s all starting to get pretty real now that we are getting close to it,” he said.
“The slot has been outstanding, there has been so much hype about that. With these Australian horses coming over it has got a real international flavour to it. There are some great three-year-olds there and everyone is excited about it. It is going to be a phenomenal day.”
