Clapperton’s apprenticeship ending

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 49

Clapperton’s apprenticeship ending

PA Wellington House hunting is on the agenda of New Zealand’s leading apprentice, Kim Clapperton.

At the end of the current season, July 31, she severs her ties with Kevin and Stephen Gray’s Waverley stable and moves to a new position as No. 1 stable rider for Awapuni trainer, Margaret Bull.

Hence the reason for her need to find accommodation and yesterday the successful 18-year-old said that she had “just started looking” for a property. Clapperton will also complete her apprenticeship on July 31 and barring accidents she looks certain to end the season as the first woman to have earned the distinction of being New Zealand’s leading apprentice. At present she is 10 wins clear of her nearest rival, Larry Cassidy. Clapperton, who has been indentured to the Gray stable for about four-and-half-years has

gone from strength to strength as a jockey. When she joined Gray she had ridden only nine winners but quickly made the best of the opportunities that have come her way ana to date she has ridden 176 winners.

Ironically her most important win so far was a chance ride she picked up on the morning of the races.. That was last January when Clapperton com-

bined with the Stratford galloper, Tricavaboy, to win the $lOO,OOO Group One Jarden Morgan Mile at Trentham.

No sooner will Clapperton have settled into her new surroundings than she will be heading to Japan to represent New Zealand, along with fellow jockey Linda Ballantyne, in a series of four races.

The pair will be guests of the International Association of Racing in Japan, and Clapperton, who rode in that country last year, confirmed that they will be leaving New Zealand on August 27.

“We’ll be over there for three weeks,” she said. The series of races at which she and Ballantyne will ride consists of meetings on four courses affiliated to the association, and the events will be restricted to women riders.

“They have invited two riders from New Zealand and two from Australia, which is better than last year when there was only

one from each country,” said Clapperton.

On her last visit to Japan, Clapperton managed two wins and eight placings from 16 mounts. Also this week Clapperton broke new ground for the racing industry when she was named “Wanganui Junior Sportsperson of the Year” at a function in Wanganui on Monday evening. “I was nominated by the Waverley Racing Club,” said Clapperton, who was one of 16 entries for the award.

As far as Clapperton is aware it is the first time a jockey had been nominated for the honour.