Clark hoping for many happy returns to scale on big day

Tim Clark will be out to build on a strong finish to the last season when he lines up at Hawkesbury on Thursday for the start of the new one.

Fittingly, the jockey celebrates his birthday on August 1 – the date assigned as the birthday of the new season’s foals.

Clark, who will turn 38, has been riding in great form of late. He booted home a treble at Canterbury last week and will look to secure more success at Hawkesbury, where he has four rides. Three of those are for the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable.

“Things have been ticking over pretty well,” said Clark. “It’s been a solid enough season that is just coming to an end, and I’ll be looking to start off the new one in good form.“

Clark will begin the day when he rides Dawn Service in the Happy Horses’ Birthday Maiden (1300m). The well-bred son of Justify and Sunlight debuted with a third on the Kensington track and has the advantage of barrier one. Clark will have a wide alley to contend with when Johnny The Kid contests the NSW Jockeys Association 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m).

Johnny The Kid had two starts in March for a debut second at Warwick Farm, and then was midfield in the Pago Pago Stakes leading into the Golden Slipper before being spelled. He has had two trials leading into his resuming run.

The last of his three rides for Waterhouse-Bott is Comic Culture, which runs in the Pioneer Services Super Maiden Plate (1600m). Comic Culture has finished fifth in both starts to date, and steps up to 1600m.

“I rode him the other day at Wyong and he battled on pretty well to finish a close-up fifth,” said Clark.