Obsessive and apprentice Hazel Schofer cruise home in the last race at Awapuni on Saturday. Photo / Race Images
Obsessive and apprentice Hazel Schofer cruise home in the last race at Awapuni on Saturday. Photo / Race Images
A decision to place greater emphasis on the training side of the business appears to be paying dividends for former top jumps rider Clayton Chipperfield who produced a winning double on Saturday.
Two-year-old Proisir filly London Bound made many sit up and take notice with a stunning seven length win on debut in the opening event at Te Rapa while progressive 4-year-old Obsessive rounded out the day in fine style on a testing track at Awapuni with a win in the last race of the day.
Chipperfield, who made the long drive from his Te Awamutu base to Awapuni with Obsessive, was delighted with how things played out on the day.
"It was a great day and I thought both horses were very impressive," he said.
"London Bound is a very exciting filly with a big future ahead of her while Obsessive proved how tough he is with a win on what was as deep a track as you will probably get this winter. When I was driving down [to Awapuni] in the rain on Friday I was thinking holy hell this is going to be tough for him."
Ridden confidently by Hazel Schofer, Obsessive came from well back in the field to forge clear in the closing stages of the 1550m contest, with Chipperfield full of praise for the ride by the young apprentice.
"I thought she rode him brilliantly as she didn't panic when Plan A went out the window at the start.
"I told her to keep him handy throughout but he got a shuffle up and was back near last.
"She did exactly what she needed to do to get back in the race.
"She has a big future if that is what she is already producing at this stage of her career."
Chipperfield is no stranger to success himself, having forged a very successful career riding over jumps in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Clayton Chipperfield. Photo / Trish Dunell
Among his many highlights in the saddle was guiding Golden Flare to successive victories in the Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) at Ellerslie in 2002 and 2003.
"I sometimes look at the riding ranks now and think it might be good to be riding in those big races but reality sets in pretty quickly as I'm nearly 40 and have a mortgage and kids so that isn't an option anymore."
Chipperfield ended his riding career in 2005 after returning from his second stint in America. "A lot of the horses [in the US] were big and strong so I spent a fair bit of time bulking up in the gym so I could do justice to the mounts I was getting.
"When I came home, I was overweight and had to waste hard which really took its toll so I decided to give riding away."
Chipperfield then began working as the foreman for local Te Awamutu trainer Robert Priscott which progressed to a successful training partnership. "We worked really well together but I also knew at some stage I would need to go out on my own which I did about six years ago.
"I started off breaking and pre-training, predominantly for the Oaks Stud, but also with some outside clients that I have built up over time.
Among the clients that Chipperfield has done breaking and pre-training work for is Wellington businessman Martin Dalgleish, who now races London Bound and another promising two-year-old in Alexander Hamilton in Chipperfield's stable under the Pharos Thoroughbreds banner.
"We have actually sent him to Australia last week as there just aren't any suitable races for him here at the moment. He has gone to Rachael Frost and will most likely have two runs over there starting at Sandown over 1400m on Wednesday.
"I think he is a real Derby type as he is already crying out for more ground."
