Regarded as one of the most promising young riders in the state, apprentice Samantha Clenton proved on Wednesday she had the mental toughness to match her talent.
Clenton made an inauspicious start to the day when she finished a luckless second aboard Artibai in the TAB Rewards Handicap.
The horse, trained by Clenton’s boss Kris Lees, was hopelessly pocketed until the 150 metre mark and by the time Clenton was finally able to switch around heels into clear running, Winona Costin aboard All My Loving had sailed down the outside with an unimpeded run to snatch a winning break.
Clenton, who was chastised by stewards for her ride, could have dropped the ball.
Instead, she came out and won the next two races on Queanbeyan mare Oh So Adorable and Newcastle gelding Grand Condor.
“It was good to kick back the way I did,” Clenton said.
“My second winner (Grand Condor) is very under-rated. I think he’s been getting under the radar a bit.”
Clenton is hoping to make another appearance in the winner’s stall at Randwick on Saturday when she rides Nuclear Class in the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap and Timeless Prince in the TAB.com.au Handicap.
Nuclear Class was a narrow first-up second to Saturday’s rival Inside Job last start and Clenton expects her to be in the finish again.
“She’ll improve heaps off her first-up run and she meets a pretty similar field,” she said.
“Timeless Prince will run well too.”
