TRAINER Jason Clifford has endured the highs and lows of racing since he first took out his trainer’s licence in 2002.
Winning the Group 3 Hobart Cup with Our Dashing Dane in 2005 elevated his standing to lofty heights and then had to endure probably the toughest times of his short career.
About 18 months after the 2005 Hobart Cup success the winning well dried up and yearling purchases failed to make the cut.
Even some owners showed him just how fickle people can be when the luck gods stop smiling on a trainer.
But through it all Clifford has stayed focused and this season he has made an early impact on the trainer’s premiership list.
A double at Devonport last Sunday took his season tally to nine winners and only one behind the reigning premier combination of David and Scott Brunton.
But Clifford’s strike rate sits at a massive 27.3% with his 33 runners producing nine wins and seven minor placings and five have finished fourth.
His two winners at Devonport were La Ha in maiden-class one handicap over 1660m and his highly promising sprinter-miler Rocky Times that powered home to win the class four handicap over 1175 metres.
La Ha is one of then most recent arrivals at his Seven Mile Beach stables but she also is one of his favourites from a personal perspective.
La Ha was given to Clifford by one of his prominent owners Brendan Elliss who wasn’t prepared to persevere with the mare when she was sacked by her former trainer John Blacker stable.
However Clifford explained his success with La Ha was more to do with where he trains.
“I can understand how this mare could not be trained properly in a normal training environment that involved grass or dirt training tracks,” Clifford said.
“Her joints just won’t take constant pounding on normal training tracks but my beach training environment is perfect for her and she has responded accordingly,” he said.
“The mare wants to be a racehorse and as long as I can keep her sound and happy she will keep running good races,” he said.
Clifford agreed La Ha might soon meet her mark but for a horse that cost him nothing he has already reaped great rewards.
Rocky Times has always shown enormous potential and this latest win was arguably his most encouraging performance this preparation.
The four-year-old gelded son of Ladoni came from well back to overpower his rivals at the business end of the race.
Rocky Times scored by a length from the fast-finishing Petroleum with Teller a close-up third – click here .