Clayton Douglas | Home

Joining the team as a horse with “behavioural” problems, Speranzoso has left those days behind him and proven himself a handy stayer for the team.

After a couple of below par runs by the big gelding, a drop back in grade and “tinkering” of gear saw him back in form with an impressive 4.25L win over 2025m at Cranbourne.  It’s a track he’s won at before, that time an 8L win over the 2580m.

Carrying 61.5kg is no problem when the likes of Jamie Mott is on board.  Jumping from barrier 5, Jamie controlled the speed up front and coming into the straight the win was never in doubt.

From 23 runs, 17 of those in Australia he’s had 4 wins, 4 seconds and amassed over $142,000 in prizemoney for his connections.  The 4 wins have been by an average of over 4L, an easy watch for punters when he’s in form.

He wasn’t an easy project when he arrived from England but a big thank you for the team at home for a great job with Speranzoso.  Congratulations also to great supporters in OTI Racing.

Coral Emperor broke his maiden in style with his win at Ballarat today.

From his nine runs, the four career seconds had been frustrating for connections so there were plenty of cheers when he showed what he does on the training track.

Luke Nolen rode the son of Star Witness in the 1400m event.  Jumping from barrier 8 they were shuffled back towards the tail of the field and looked to be stuck in traffic coming into the straight.  Nolen showed why he’s a forty time group 1 winning jockey when able to find room down the outside for a comfortable win.

It was Coral Emperor’s first time on a heavy 8 but he relished the ground and stepping back in distance.  

Some of his connections made the trip to Ballarat to see the win and we’d like to congratulate and thank them for their ongoing support of Clayton Douglas Racing.

The Warrnambool carnival holds fond memories for Clayton Douglas after twice winning the Grand Annual Steeplechase aboard Gold Medals, but having his childhood hero win on Gronkowski over the carnival is right up there.

The big Starcraft gelding was bred and raced by great clients in Rosemont Stud who were on course to witness his win.  “Gronk” was simply too good on the soft 6 ground over the 1300m to score an impressive 3.25L win.  The win was made even sweeter with champion jockey and Douglas family friend, Nash Rawiller, in the saddle.

“I think everyone knows how good this young bloke is as a trainer. He’s a star.” said Rawiller, full of praise in his post-race interview.

Nash and Clayton’s association goes back to childhood when in Nash’s words a young Clayton “…used to ride the couch with my whip and silks. We go back a long way”.

“The horse done a great job…(and the) strapper, thanks to him too” said Nash, in reference to Gronkowski and his son and fellow jockey, Cam Rawiller, who was on strapping duties.

The win was Gronkowski’s 4^th from only 15 starts and congratulations to Rosemont Stud.

The win was a highlight for the Doulgas and Rawiller family and what a great way to round out another fantastic Warrnambool Carnival.  Can’t wait for next year!

It was a long trip to Avoca but well worth it after Nefertiti scored her first career win.

Google proves to be the go to when naming many a racehorse and the daughter of American Pharoah was aptly named after one of the most mysterious and powerful women in ancient Egypt.  Nefertiti was queen alongside Pharaoh Akhenaten from 1353 to 1336 B.C and the owners of the equine version thinks she was queen of Avoca!

Gaining a start after being second emergency in the 1100m maiden,  the 3yr old filly jumped from barrier 5 with our very own Paul Gatt onboard.  “Gatty” let Nefertiti use her natural speed to roll straight to the lead from barrier 5.  She was never headed to win by 0.3L with a clear margin to the 3^rd horse.

A $70,000 purchase from the 2022 Inglis Classic Sale, Nefertiti sees some of the stables most loyal clients as part of the ownership, including several of the staff.  

It was the fillies first win from only 2 starts, and the first run for the preparation.  Congratulations to all connections.

 A late night at Pakenham was rewarded with an impressive win by Gallant Prince, aka Ralph.

The big colt proved too good over 1400m in the BM64 event when resuming with Daniel Stackhouse on board. 

Jumping second from the outside, “Ralphy” found the lead and stayed there. Held together until straightening, he let down 200m from home for a comfortable 2L win.

It was Gallant Prince’s second win from six starts and a big group of owners were on course to cheer him home.

“I’ve got some high hopes for him” said his trainer, Clayton Douglas.

“I’ve got a great ownership group behind me and they’ve been very patient. We’ve taken our time with this colt and I think he’ll get out to 2000m, and especially on soft tracks I think we’ll see the best of him. He’s a nice horse going forward”.

Jockey, Daniel Stackhouse was also impressed with the win. “It’s my first time sitting on him and he gave me a beautiful feel.  Drew a sticky gate and only way to get over that is to be positive (with) the way the tracks racing tonight with that wind. He did the rest and when I asked him to quicken from the corner and cruise through his gears he finished off nicely”.

Purchased by Clayton at the 2022 Inglis Classic Sale for $135,000, the son of Trapeze Artist has had 6 starts for 2 wins and 2 seconds.  From a winning Zabeel mare in Southern Venture, herself stakes placed, all signs indicate the colt will relish the 2000m when the time comes.

Knowing he had a handy colt on his hands, Clayton was very keen to secure another son of Trapeze Artist at the recent Inglis Classic Sale.  Similarly bred, the new colt is from an O’Reilly mare, O’Princess, who won 6 times from 1300-2010m. 

Purchased for only $65,000, ownership opportunities still exist and visit our website or contact the stable for further information.  You can also check him out in the following video:

Patience is a virtue they say…and some would argue no more so than in racing. 

The Toronado mare, Sheeza Toronado, undoubtably tested many peoples patience before her debut start at Pakenham today. 

A list of injuries, stitches and even a broken nose over her first 4 years of life would have seen many owners give up.  But a big pat on the back for breeders and owners Mark & Michelle McFarlane who loved and supported “Roxy” throughout.

The quirky mare was ridden by our very own Paul Gatt in the 1000m maiden for 4yr and upwards.  Jumping from barrier 3, Gatty let the mare settle just off the pace.  She was quite green in the later stages & needed a couple of whip changes to keep her straight, but horse and jockey didn’t let the team down.

“She over raced a bit the first part, they didn’t go overly quick coming out of the chute….(they) left us a bit flat footed but she able to go through her gears and I’m glad it was a long straight” said Paul Gatt post race.  

A big congratulations goes out to the McFarlane family for entrusting us with Sheeza Toronado and always putting her welfare first.  The team at Clayton Douglas Racing thanks you for being such great owners.

It was a late night for Clayton Douglas after both training and strapping Epic Centre at Moonee Valley Friday night. But it was worth it.

Epic Centre has failed at both his previous attempts at the Valley, but a superb ride by Jamie Mott was the charm. Jumping from barrier 4, Mott let the 4yr old gelding stride to the lead and do what he does best….just go fast.

He looked to be headed in the straight but fought bravely to win in a head bobbing finish over the 1000m. “He’d come back a big bigger than I’d like from a spell so it’s taken a bit of time to get the weight off and get him fit” said Douglas.

 “He’s been a really good horse for the team and I’m just wrapt to get him back into form”.

The win gave Jamie Mott a double for the night. “He’s a gun young trainer” said Jamie when referring to his training mate. “He was confident tonight and he had him fit enough to run his best race. I just applied those tactics to just let him run along and I was surprised one was with me….but he really dug deep and was able to get the bob of the head.”

The 5^th win from 17 starts, the Rosemont bred and raced Epic Centre has taken his winnings to over $200,000.   Congratulations to the team at Rosemont Stud & our own team at the Mornington stable.

Giga Kick is back in the stable but all eyes were on the Pariah filly at Moe carrying the famous Pinecliff colours today.

An unlucky 4^th on debut at Benalla had the 3yr old filly, Virtucon, go into her Moe start as a firm $1.85 favourite.   Daniel Stackhouse was given the reins for the second run and he made sure to keep her out of trouble.

Jumping from barrier 5 over 1200m, “Stackie” let the filly settle just behind midfield and kept her off the fence.  Coming into the straight they peeled out wide to comfortably over run the leaders in the last 100m.

“We’ve always had an opinion of this filly” said her trainer, Clayton Douglas.  “She might get over a bit of ground too so plenty of options going forward”.

Congratulations to the team at Pinecliff Racing for breeding and racing this smart filly.