Three times Melbourne Cup winning jockey Glen Boss will replace the injured Hugh Bowman on veteran galloper Happy Clapper in Saturday’s Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Glen Boss will be the new rider for Happy Clapper, above, in the 2019 Colgate Optic White Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bowman had his first ride on Happy Clapper when second to outsider Samadoubt in the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 24 but the champion jockey will be act of action again this weekend while still recovering from a broken finger.
Bowman broke his finger in a trackwork accident last week and will be on the sidelines for at least another week.
“The reality is a broken finger is a broken finger,” Bowman told Sky Racing.
“All the advice I had was to give it time.
“As much as I was trying to resist that I think it’s best for everyone if I give it the time it needs.
“I wouldn’t forgive myself if I was in a tight finish and came out on the wrong side of the ledger.
“I’m disappointed obviously.”
Hong Kong based Australian jockey Blake Shinn had been Happy Clapper’s regular ride for the last two years and was aboard the Pat Webster trained nine year old when second to Winx in the 2017 Colgate Optic White Stakes which in the old George Main Stakes renamed.
Happy Clapper has won a 1200m Randwick barrier trial since his first up second in the Winx Stakes and Webster said the veteran is in top order heading towards the weight for age Colgate Optic White Stakes.
“He is perfect heading to the George Main (Colgate Optic White Stakes),” Webster told AAP.
Two of Happy Clapper’s three Group 1 wins have been over the famous Randwick Mile.
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