'I'm going to pass out' - elation for local jockey in Sydney as Think About It lands world's richest turf race worth A$20m

Local jockey Sam Clipperton celebrated the biggest success of his career as favourite Think About It powered to victory in the A$20 million TAB Everest at Randwick. 

The five-year-old gelding pulled clear in the home straight to hold off the late charge of runner-up I Wish I Win and score by half a length in the world's richest turf race, which pays out over A$7.5m (£4,264,971/€4,917,734) to the winner. 

The success was a career highlight for Sydney-raised Clipperton, who also partnered Think About It to two Group 1 victories earlier this year. 

"I'm going to pass out," the 29-year-old jockey told Channel Seven after the race. 

"I'm just so privileged to be in a position of riding this horse. I had my apprenticeship here at Randwick with Ron Quinton. I know every blade of grass at this joint. If you had have told me when I started that I was going to win Everest . . . now it has exploded into one of the most incredible races in the world and I'm just incredibly proud.

"I was visualising this since he won the Premiere Stakes. I thought he had too many gears, they won't beat him. I couldn't say that out loud but that's what I felt and he has just proved me right." 

The win was a masterclass by Sydney-based trainer Joseph Pride, who began his career at the course in 2000 and also saddled third-placed runner Private Eye under Nash Rawiller. 

In addition to the Everest, the Sydney carnival featured the inaugural running of the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, which was introduced this year to celebrate the King's coronation and was won by Winx Stakes scorer Fangirl for James McDonald and Chris Waller. 

The winning trainer also welcomed the success of Land Legend earlier in the card, with the three-year-old making a winning debut in Australia in the St Leger Stakes. 

The gelding is now set to join Waller's yard after scoring readily under Tyler Schiller in his final start for Newmarket trainer James Ferguson. 

Waterhouse strikes at Caulfield

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott were among the winners in Melbourne as Alligator Blood stormed to his seventh Group 1 victory in the Neds Might And Power at Caulfield. 

The seven-year-old pulled clear and was eased over the line by Timothy Clark to win for the first time over ten furlongs, setting the winner up for a tilt at the Cox Plate in two weeks' time. 

"I think he's going to be awfully hard to beat," Waterhouse told Racing.com. "He's just so strong and determined and when he gets up and rolling he's so hard to run down."

Military Mission and Joao Moreira: winners at CaulfieldCredit: George Sal

The joint-trainers were also successful in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes with Military Mission, who delivered Joao Moreira his first win at the track in six and a half years when scoring by three-quarters of a length. 

Despite the race ensuring the winner a spot in the Caulfield Cup, Military Mission will instead head for the Melbourne Cup on November 7, where he is currently 36th in the order of entry but could see his place improve with a potential penalty for Saturday's success. 

The seven-year-old would be one of several hopefuls for Waterhouse as she bids to score ten years on from her victory with Fiorente.

"They're nice to have," Waterhouse added of victory in Australia's flagship race. "We've got one, it'd be lovely to have a second."

Saturday's card also included a shock winner in the Caulfield Guineas after Griff claimed the Group 1 contest despite carrying runner-up Veight off his line close to the finish. 

The one-and-three-quarter length winning margin and late nature of the interference meant losing connections did not call for a stewards' inquiry, with the winner striking at the first attempt at the top level for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. 

Read more: 

'I can’t believe he won like that' - Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip powers to victory in Group 1 Turnbull Stakes 

'We got what we thought he would get' - Willie Mullins satisfied with Vauban's Melbourne Cup weight 

West Wind Blows set for Australia bid as Caulfield Cup attracts first international raiders since 2020 

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