'Over the moon': Clarry snags key jockey for Scone Cup

Scone, which is the main race meeting in NSW this weekend, carries metropolitan status. Connors, 78, has targeted a $128,000 benchmark 72 race with Jessandi. The five-year-old will have her seventh start for the astute trainer in the 1700 metre race.

Connors told ACM Racing the key to Jessandi's chances may hinge on track conditions. "I've only had Jessandi for six runs and I'm still working her out but I think I've worked out she struggles on heavy tracks," he said.

"I thought the Scone race might suit her. We've had a fair share of rain over the last few weeks in Sydney and I thought Scone which hasn't had as much rain as us might offer a better racing surface for the mare.

"It's usually a very good racing surface at Scone. Jessandi is honest and puts 100 per cent into her races and I think if everything goes the right way on Saturday she'll run a nice race."

Talented jockey Rachel King has been booked for the ride and Connors is delighted to have the gun hoop on board.

"I'm over the moon to have secured Rachel for the ride," he said. "I often chase her for rides but Rachel is keenly sought after by all the other trainers and she's hard to get to book for rides.

"I think one of the key assets to Jessandi's chances are she is handicapped to carry 52 kilograms and Rachel can get down to that weight.

"It's the lightest weight Jessandi has carried in a long time. She's used to carry weights like 56 kilograms or in that range she will not know herself with the 52 kilograms on her back.

"The big bonus is Rachel can ride at 52 kilograms . That's a massive advantage compared to her rivals. Jessandi will not be carrying any dead weight. We've drawn barrier one which is another big plus. Rachel should have her in a good spot in the run from that barrier."

Connors, who has trained 34 Group 1 winners including four Golden Slippers and numerous Oaks winners plus lots of black type victories said he still loves the challenges that racing presents.

"I've been training from Warwick Farm for over 55 years," he said. "I might be in the twilight years of my career but I still love the racing industry.

"The prizemoney for races in NSW is great. It's very competitive racing in New South Wales. I'm lucky to have a great backstop in my wife Maree.

"We're a good team. We've got 15 horses in work and another five in the paddock waiting to come in. I've had some great owners during my career and still have to this very day and one of those is my old mate John Singleton.

"He's been very loyal. I've got a nice three-year-old filly for Melbourne Cup winning owner Tony Santic. I still love getting up early in the morning and checking on the horses."

The astute horseman downsized his training operation just over four years ago and he's happy with that decision.

"Maree and I had the big house and stables at Warwick Farm," he said. "The four bedroom house was just too big for Maree and I so we decided to sell the whole lot and move into a smaller house just down the road from Warwick Farm racecourse.

"Our son Marc has stables at Warwick Farm so it made sense for us to put our horses in there. Marc has his own trainers licence and I have mine but I would say we'll probably look at doing a training partnership down the track sometime.

"Marc has some nice horses in his stable. He saddles up Danish Prince against us in the opening race at Scone on Saturday and I think he'll be one of the ones to beat. Danish Prince is only a small horse but he is very honest and I think he'll go well."

Bet365 rate Jessandi a $26 hope to win Saturday's first race while Danish Prince is a $6 chance.

Group 1 racing heads to Doomben on Saturday with the running of the $1.5 million Doomben 10,000 as the feature race on the program.

I Wish I Win, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman is the short priced favourite with Bet365 to win the classic over 1200 metres. The other highlight at Doomben is the $300,000 Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic for two-year-olds.