Clarry Conners takes Elvezio to Newcastle
Trainer Clarry Conners is taking Elvezio to Newcastle for the Group Three Spring Stakes.
The “For Sale” might be up on his stable but Clarry Conners certainly has no intentions to retire.
Victory Lodge will go up for auction on Wednesday week with Conners no longer having the numbers to fill all the boxes at the Warwick Farm complex.
The trainer, who has lived at Warwick Farm all his life, has prepared four Golden Slipper winners – Tierce, Burst, Prowl and Belle du Jour – from Victory Lodge which is named for his first Group One winner, Victory Prince.
Conners began his career with his trainer/father Clarry sr and took out a licence at the age of 21.
Several decades on, Conners will move his horses a short distance to his son Marc’s stables.
“I just don’t have enough horses so I have put Victory Lodge up for sale,” Conners said.
“I’m not retiring. I’ll probably never retire but I am down to 14 or 15 horses at a time.
“Everyone wants to go to the big stables now.
“I will put my horses at Marc’s place which is nearby. He has a great set-up there and we work pretty closely together now anyway.
“Who knows, one day we might form a partnership but for now we will be separate.”
Among the horses in Conners’ stable is Elvezio who runs in Saturday’s Group Three Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle as the rank outsider.
Although he is at $81, Elvezio goes to the race off a midfield finish at Rosehill behind Rule The World who is the short-priced favourite.
“He is a nice little horse who still has some maturing to do,” Conners said.
“His only win so far was at Newcastle so that’s in his favour.
“He will come back in the autumn a stronger horse but this race is here now.”
Elvezio will be ridden by Kacie Adams whose father Kevin is a co-owner of the colt.
A premiership winner in the Northern Territory, Adams rides mostly on the provincial and country circuit and is in demand as a track work rider.
“Kacie is a good rider and is of great assistance to a lot of trainers at Warwick Farm,” Conners said.