Youngsters excite as yard bids to build on an excellent 2020
| Date | 09 June 2021 |
| Published date | 09 June 2021 |
| Publication title | Weekender |
them and a group of beautifully bred two-year-olds."
While many of his peers have seen the quantity their strings reduced or remain static, Clover has overseen a 30 per cent rise in his numbers, with several new owners including Clipper Logistics, who provided him with his first 100,000gns horse, and he repaid that faith when the filly Fabricated won on her debut.
"I've got a wonderful mix of owners and they've shown great loyalty and faith in me again. Obviously I want to win as many races as possible, but the key is doing the best with each of them, no matter what their ability. You do need luck in life and last
season we were awarded a couple of races in the stewards' room. If we can keep the way we have then I will be happy and hopefully this upward curve will continue in a healthy direction."
From a punting perspective Clover has already proved a man to follow when he sends runners to Haydock with a 44 per cent strike-rate and a profit of £64.83 to a £1 level stake. Other profitable venues to note the yard's runners are Doncaster (+£8.40), Newbury (+£15.75), Newmarket (+£12.75) and Thirsk (+£9.25), while Yarmouth, Lingfield and Chelmsford have been the most prolific for the team.
Older horses Balgair 7 ch g Foxwedge - Glencal He is a favourite in the yard and did us proud last year, winning the amateurs' Cambridgeshire at Newmarket off a mark of 80. This year he has had one run, when mid-division at Ascot in April.
He won over nine furlongs at Newmarket and I think 1m2f is his best trip. I hope he can win a nice race this year after threatening to do that last term. He is just coming back to himself and last week's run in the Zetland Gold Cup was a nice stepping-stone to better things. I was happy enough with that run when not too far off the winner in mid-division. I think he is on a dangerous mark and in a hard run race he will be competitive off his current rating of 83.
Celsius 5 ch g Dragon Pulse - Grecian Artisan He is another lovely horse to have in the team who shot up the ratings two seasons ago after he won four races. Last season he started off in the same manner when winning at Haydock and was very unfortunate not to win at Ascot in September when he reared at the start, losing three or four lengths and was second, beaten half a length. Unfortunately he suffered a setback in the spring but he is going well again and should be out in the next few weeks. Five furlongs is his trip but it is essential the ground is fast and the pace strong. The handicapper has dropped him 2lb to start the year off on 88 and I am sure he will have another good year.
Crimewave 5 b g Teofilo - Crossover He is a very solid horse with three wins to his name, most recently with Laura Pearson claiming 5lb at Lingfield in April. He is a really fun horse who is very much an all-weather performer. His penultimate run, when third at Lingfield, was a grand effort. Having not enjoyed the smoothest of passages he fairly flew home to take third, beaten only half a length. We will pick...
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