JANE Clement and apprentice jockey Sophie Young shared their biggest race successes when they combined to win yesterday’s $30,000 Fencing North West 2014 Inverell Cup (1400m).
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Wolfgangs Boy’s win came a matter of minutes after Jane’s aunt, fellow trainer Lesley Jeffriess, won the $8500 162nd Maurice Murphy Memorial Wallabadah Cup (1500m) with Stretch.
While Clement won the 1994 Wallabadah Cup with Mean Time it was her aunt’s first win in the once-a-year Wallabadah Cup
“Wouldn’t it be great if Jane could win the Inverell Cup,” Lesley Jeffriess said as she watched the Inverell Cup field jump.
She was on course in Inverell and was drowned out a minute or so later when her niece snared her first Inverell Cup.
“He’s been a handy horse for us. Had a bit of a freshener. He’s had three weeks off and came back today. I might take him to the Glen Innes Cup now,” Jeffriess said.
By that stage Wolfgangs Boy, who might also go to the Glen Innes Cup, had assumed the lead in the Inverell Cup and then defied any attempts to run him down.
In the end he beat the Luke Berger-trained Rioqualo by a length and three quarters with Dusty’s Felt another length and a quarter away third.
Little Sophie Young was elated.
“It’s my biggest win,” the 22-year-old apprentice beamed.
“I thought they we were coming but he wasn’t stopping.”
He was her 65th race winner.
Jane Clement also celebrated.
“I think he’s my first Inverell cup runner; I can’t remember ever having one,” she said.
“It’s my first major Cup too. I’ve won the Barraba, Bingara, Bundarra and Wallabadah Cups but not a bigger prestigious one like this race.
“He’s been in form too. He won four of his last races and has been so consistent. Everyone kept knocking him and haven’t given him enough credit.”
Clement trains Wolfgangs Boy for Phil Lyne, Don Hutt, Steve Cudmore and Nev Lelo.
“Nev thought he was a bit of bad omen,” Clement said.
“Every time he drives up from the Central coast he doesn’t win. Until today.”
Phil Lyne said the grey seven-year-old gelding had been a “difficult young horse but and an easy old horse to train”.
At Wallabadah, Stretch stormed down the outside to pip Subic Bay (Leon Davies) by a length.
He was ridden superbly by Chle Lee, who tucked him in behind Subic Bay, and then approaching the turn to home moved up on him.
The two then battled it out to the finish line with Stretch finishing over the top.
“The last 150 I knew he was going to win,” Lee said.
Zar Express (Ian Cook) was another length and a quarter back in third with last year’s winner Husisname (Noel Boland) finishing at the tail of the field.
